A Reason to Survive
by FeelingDreamy
Summary: In an AU where Titans are not towering giants, but flesh eating zombies, Petra Ral, a privileged honors student, and Levi Ackerman, the leader of a notorious gang called the Corps, are drawn together amidst the chaos that becomes their new world. Can two people so different learn to get along for the sake of survival, and find happiness among the gore?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: 'Sup guys, me again. So that story i mentioned i was going to write was inspired a few days ago by a few Levi x Petra AU's in a zombie apocalypse, and this is the result!**

 **Usually i try to write a few chapters before actually publishing a piece, so that i can have time to edit and see just exactly where the plot is going, and get a better idea of what i plan to make happen next. This time however, i'm just gonna wing it!**

 **I wrote the first chapter almost entirely last night when i was unable to sleep, and finished it this afternoon. It hasn't even been a full 24 hours yet and i'm already almost done writing chapter two, which will most likely be up sometime tonight or early tomorrow.**

 **I've already got ideas for chapter three!**

 **I don't own AOT/SNK (wish that i did, 'cuz i'd be ROLLING in it!)**

 **Enjoy fellow _~Dreamers_!**

* * *

A Reason to Survive

* * *

 _~Winter~_

In the slums of a rough neighborhood, a young man ran for all he was worth.

After years of being cheated and abused by his father, Levi Ackerman had been carted from foster home to foster home until he turned sixteen. He had taken tests by social services to determine what he already knew: that he was competent enough and perfectly capable of living on his own.

He managed to graduate from high school, not that he was not smart, but because he wanted to show himself that he could. To hold the weight of his diploma, a flimsy piece of paper, in his hands.

But with neither the drive nor the money necessary to attend college, high school was where his education ended.

He knew that no one person could hope to survive on the streets by sheer will alone, no matter how strong they were, or how good a fighter.

In his search for somewhere to belong, Levi had become involved with some dangerous gangs, and knew that he could only go it solo for so long.

Levi had been in knife fights, where the opposition had promised nothing but bare fists, man to man, only to reveal that not only was his opposition armed, but not alone. Levi had been stabbed with knives and make shift shanks, kicked beyond recognition, and left for dead in the streets in the cruel chaos of night.

But he had always come back, stronger, and faster.

Eventually, he gained enough followers to run a crew of his own, but he always had to be at the top of his game. If he was too soft, members who were less loyal would walk all over him, threatening to rise up, and take over the gang, unless he put them in their place.

As the years went by, his gang was dubbed the Corps, short for corpse, due to all of the death that seemed to follow them wherever they went.

Levi had been in shoot outs, as gangs fought for territory. Levi had been shot, on numerous occasions, wounded within an inch of his life, but he had always come out swinging, until the bitter end. He had to. Not only for himself, but for those close to him.

Having never known what a real family was like, Levi was especially protective of his friends. No one who double-crossed them, be them man or woman, ever got away unscathed.

Most of those in the Corps gang had been young adults in their early twenties, or teenagers.

Some had been chased out of their homes by their parents, for any of a dozen reasons. Money, drugs, sexual, physical, or mental abuse. These were the kids society had given up on, convinced that they were "thugs" and "hoodlums" far beyond help, condemning them to ghettos, with no hopes of escape.

Some had dropped out of school, either to support their families in poverty, because their grades nothing to brag about, or simply because they had lost the motivation in the living hell that was their home lives to deal with the daily grind of being hassled by teachers that couldn't care less about them.

Now in his early twenties, Levi did odd jobs here and there to make ends meet.

Being the sole leader of a gang of outsiders and rejects, which was practically the entirety of the population in the streets of his city, Levi did not have to worry about a place to crash, as there was always a friend who would welcome him.

However, despite this, he always made sure to hold down a fort for those in his crew that had nowhere else to go; for those who did not have a place to escape the cold chill of winter, or the thunder and pouring rain during a humid summer night.

Once you earned his trust, you would always have it, so long as you never gave him any reason for him to distrust you. He welcomed any and all members of his crew into his small two bedroom apartment, on the sole condition that they keep the place spotless during their stay.

He would steal, smuggle drugs and weapons, even kill if the price was high enough, so that none of the kids in his gang would have to do it themselves.

Tonight, had been one of those nights.

Even after kill after kill, the grief never got any easier to bear. He carried it with him wherever he went, hanging over his shoulder like a dark cloud.

He remembered each of their faces, as they had trembled in fear before him, their heads against his gun, or their throats pressed under his knife. Some had cried for their mothers, pissed themselves, cursing him in their final words, or tried futilely to fight back.

A few had even asked for him to pass on a message to their loved ones before he pulled the trigger, knowing their place in the world as lowly drug and weapons dealers had finally come to an end and welcomed death, if only to be set free from the seemingly endless cycle of deceit and betrayal.

In every such case, Levi always relayed such messages to the loved ones of his victims, indirectly as well as personally, because they had paid the ultimate price, and he felt it was the least he could do to atone for his sins.

Pulling the trigger became easier as the years went by, but the ghosts of his past would forever haunt him.

On nights like this, where his breath was visible in the cool night air, and the light from the moon peeked through the clouds, the blood both new and old could be felt on his hands, tainting them. The dim twinkling of the stars was as dulled as his exterior, drowning in the sea of smog that surrounded the only city he ever knew, suffocating him.

* * *

 _~Spring~_

A few miles away, in the pricier neighborhood of Karense, a place many in poverty could only dream of inhabiting, a girl with hazel eyes and cascading orange hair was writing aimlessly in her new diary.

Petra Ral wrote about her day at school, her latest crush, and a petty argument with her best friend, one that she hoped to mend the next day.

Dotting the walls of her room were paintings and charcoal drawings of things that interested her.

A delicate looking flower in watery shades of pink, yellow and green. A charcoal sketch of a young couple holding hands, though their heads could not be seen, so that the focus would be on the scenery around them, as well as their body language. Some funny doodles she had made with her friends during class while the teacher was not paying attention, containing notes regarding inside jokes only those in her inner circle could understand.

Finishing her diary entry, Petra stretched from where she sat at her desk, peering outside, as gentle rays of sunlight streamed in through her window. The weather was finally starting to warm up, and she looked forward to the pool parties and summer night sleepovers with friends.

Grabbing her phone, Petra checked her various social media pages. Not so much to catch up on gossip or to see posts and statuses who was sleeping with who, but in hopes of a little entertainment.

She laughed as an overweight cat fell off of a kitchen counter on Vine, and winced as she watched a skate boarder wipe out on a large stair set, praying that he was alright.

But after only a few more clips, Petra looked at the time.

8:32 pm

She sighed, annoyed to see that only half an hour had gone by since she last looked at the clock.

It was a Saturday night, but all of her friends were either unable to meet up with her, having already made other plans, or had yet to respond to her texts.

Having given up on any hope of escaping her house for a few hours, Petra checked her messages, depressed to discover that neither of her parents had texted her back. Petra's mother worked as a surgeon in the ER of a local hospital, which cursed the woman with long, unpredictable hours, despite the great pay. Her father was a traveling business man, so he was home even less often than her mother.

In school, Petra was as diligent a student as any in her academics. But in truth, she had actually given some serious thought to becoming an artist, creating pictures to sell and writing books for a little added income, as her imagination was seemingly limitless, overflowing with ideas.

However, Petra had yet to tell her parents of any of this, knowing full well what they would tell her, saying things along the lines of 'you could do so much better' and that there would be 'no way she could ever make a decent living doing either.'

Petra opened the Notes app on her phone, ignoring that she should be studying for that big math test next week, and finding her birthday, which was only a few weeks away, knowing it was doubtful that either of her parents would be home to celebrate it with her.

Yet another year would be spent sitting alone in her kitchen, blowing out the numbered candles of a cupcake she had purchased at the supermarket for herself.

Sure, her friends had done things to try and cheer her up, like taking her out to see a funny movie or inviting themselves over for a sleep over the night of her big day, so that she would not be left home to cry by herself, but things can change over time.

Boyfriends cheated or broke up with her, only to move on to prettier, sluttier girls. Friends moved away, promising to stay in touch, but eventually didn't after only a few months, becoming too 'busy' with their new lives to remember their lonely best friend regions away.

Although it was hard at times, especially during the holidays, Petra did her best not to cling to what few friends that remained in her circle, in fear that she would drive them away if ever she became 'too needy.'

Not wanting to go to bed so early on a Saturday night, and too annoyed to sit still any longer, Petra stood up, and made her way over to her dresser.

She threw on some sweats, pulled on some socks, and laced up her sneakers. She grabbed her phone and headed downstairs, seeking out her basement, which she had converted into a gym in her parents' absence, not that they would mind.

Without a car, she could not always get to the gym, unless she felt like taking several buses to get to the nearest one.

Besides, it was not as if Petra was in need of any money. The large allowance she received from both of her parents, plus the added income from her part time job, which she only really sought out to give her another reason to leave her house, granted her with more than enough funding to get the equipment she needed.

She had started out with simple things, like medicine balls and dumbbells, before purchasing a treadmill. But after finding that she preferred to run outside, Petra only used it on chilly, or rainy days, when she was not able to run outside, or if it was too dark to venture out.

Not that her neighborhood was all that dangerous, but being alone all the time took its toll on her, and made her paranoid of going out anywhere alone, unless said errands were done in the light of day.

Becoming fed up with being so scrawny and utterly helpless, as she was only a little over five feet tall, Petra signed herself up for a few self-defense classes after school, taking up kick boxing. Once she got past the pain of bruised knuckles, which made it difficult to draw and paint for a period of time, Petra found that she often craved the feeling of taking out her frustrations on the thick, heavy leather bag that now dangled tauntingly in the far corner of her gym.

Like now.

After taping up her knuckles and slipping on her padded gloves, Petra took in a deep, sharp breath, and rounded on the innocent bag. Her punches came quick, and she swung until her arms felt like lead, and a warm, sticky sensation could be felt around her fingers on the inside of her gloves.

Blood.

Ignoring the pain for another hour or so, Petra finally collapsed onto the mats below her feet, her entire body covered in a sheen of sweat. After catching her breath, she hit the treadmill, and jogged three miles to loosen up some, hating how east it was to get a steady, bouncing rhythm on the machine.

* * *

 _~Summer~_

It had all started out as an ordinary day. The sun was shining, and it was hot as hell. People were either out an about, working or shopping, hanging out with friends, or desperately trying to beat the heat, throwing parties and diving into swimming pools.

So far, everything seemed peaceful.

Little did anyone know that this particular summer's day would go down in infamy.

The virus had started pot in the populated city of Shiganshina. A single person had stumbled into the ER of a local walk in clinic, where they were then transferred to a hospital. Nurses and surgeons alike grew increasingly worried, as more and more patients followed the first, until the staff could no longer keep up with each patient, as the hospital had become filled to capacity. Doctors arranged for some patients to be transferred to other hospitals in other cities.

But as the patients began to die off and stories reached local news anchors, the unthinkable happened.

The first patient had woken up, and the doctors sprang into action, believing his heart had only temporarily stopped.

Unfortunately for those unlucky enough to be on call in the medical establishments in the surrounding area, most of the staff did not make it out alive, as the dead began to feast upon the living. The numbers of the living decreased in said buildings, as the quantity of the undead grew exponentially. The number of infected spread from city to city, exploding in densely populated areas, and fanning out into the suburbs.

Shiganshina especially, was dealt a hard blow, as the city in which the virus had originated, for reasons unknown.

At the edge of the city, a young boy watched I horror as his mother was devoured before his very eyes. He and his sister, who had been adopted into the Yeager family, were rescued by their neighbor, Hannes, but the man had come too late to save their mother.

The boy, Eren once safe in the next town, vowed to one day extinguish the creatures, later dubbed Titans for their ridiculous strength despite their size. The girl, Mikasa, swore that she would protect her adoptive brother, no matter what, as he was her last remaining family.

Both children were separated from their father, and assumed him to be dead, unable to escape the horde of Titans laying waste to the country.

The pandemic had begun, and with no end in sight.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Yeah, can't sleep again, as my head is WAY too full of ideas to call it a night yet, even though it is currently 1:21am where I am right now. So, yeah, I'm gonna roll with this 'writer's high' while it's here and get as much done as I can! I just hope my work doesn't seem too rushed, so reviews on what you guys think so far would be much appreciated! :D**

 **I own nothing!**

 **Enjoy ~** ** _Dreamers_** **!**

* * *

A Reason to Survive

* * *

 _~Two years later, Autumn~_

Larger cities like Shiganshina were abandoned, deemed too dangerous by the government, as the Titan population grew too dense to risk the lives of the soldiers and citizens to retake such areas. People fled their homes in the cities and suburbs and headed to more the more rural areas, but the Titans were practically inescapable.

The human population decreased by over sixty percent, forcing the remainder of humanity into districts, surrounded by towering walls for their protection. No one was allowed in, or out of the caged cities many now called home, except for soldiers transporting provisions from city to city. It took weeks for the nation's government to become more organized, and finally arranging air drops to the districts. Farmers in more rural areas, where the infection had left them many plantations untouched, were heavily protected by government officials, knowing that any amount of food that could still be cultivated was now essential to the survival of millions.

The country's money littered the streets, and no one made any effort to pick up the useless paper as the wind blew it away. Rations were distributed to every family, though the amount wasn't always enough, especially for families with man children. Ration cards had become the new currency. It was often traded for food, water, information, medicine, and weapons.

Family and friends were separated, and loved ones lost. There were many unpleasant ways to die. The gruesome, gory death, being ripped limb from limb by the Titans, or from the horrible sickness one befell before they could Turn. One could die of starvation, and people grew skinnier as the food now had to be rationed. Some were even killed by other people, for selfish reasons.

In this new world, there was little in the way of law enforcement. Soldiers had their hands full keeping the Titans at bay and reinforcing the walls, offering little protection to the citizens of each district. Weapons supposedly banned from the average person not enlisted in the military were confiscated, to avoid conflicts within the walls of each city, but too many, of course, fell into the hands of the violent, smuggled into each district for profit.

Gangs ran rampant in each city, the worst of them being in the Underground city beneath the capitol behind Wall Sina, lead by Levi. Each member was branded with the tattoo of the gang to which they belonged, located somewhere on their body. The symbol of the Corps was one white wing, and one blue.

Families typically stayed out of such groups, which were composed mostly of young adults whose only goal was to spread terror and rule over each district from the shadows, and children who were orphaned by Titans.

Eren and Mikasa were among such children, having lost everything, and sought out the protection that came with the numbers in a gang. The two had been lucky enough to find their friend, Armin, among the chaos two years ago, and all three had decided, through much debate and deliberation, to join up with the Corps.

Their leader, Levi, was a bit of a hard ass at times, but took care of his own, no matter what.

* * *

Petra had never been able to find her parents among the chaos. The hospitals were the first placed to swarm with infected people that would later become Titans, and Petra knew in her heart that her mother was most likely already dead. Her father, who had been overseas during the whole ordeal, probably never made it back into the country.

It was doubtful she would ever see either of them ever again.

She had belonged to several groups in the past two years, and struggled to find a place where she belonged.

The first group of people had been a single mom, with two children. A young boy of ten, and a teenaged girl close to Petra's age. Pitying Petra having no one to protect her in a world that was rapidly spiraling into hell, and not feeling like she was a threat to her children, the woman took her in. The small family of three had lost their father to a horde of Titans, and gratefully made room for one more, if only to fill the gap left behind by their loved one.

All of them had followed the streams of people and fellow refugees from city to city, but the family had been killed upon entering the second town, which had been heavily populated with Titans. Petra and the remaining amount of survivors had been protected by armed soldiers and the country's National Guard, until they finally reached the walled district of Trost.

The second group Petra had belonged to had been a bunch of teenagers, ranging from twelve to nineteen, and had all been orphans like she was. Most had lost their families during the migration to the walled cities, but a few had been orphans even before that. Petra had been sixteen at the time, and as one of the older members, had taken to watching out for the younger children.

But as the months dragged on, the younger children in her group had died from sickness or starvation, leaving the older teenagers to fend for themselves. As the city began to fall prey to gangs and occasional Titan breaches, most of the remaining members had either been killed by thug gunfire or shank wounds, or were torn apart by the undead.

Eventually, only two girls, Ymir and Historia, and three guys, Reiner, Jean, and Marco, remained in your group. Ymir and Historia had gone to the same high school before all of this mess, and both had been in gymnastics. They taught Petra how to do back flips and stretches to become more flexible, and become more agile.

Marco and Jean had been on their school's track team, and were unbelievably fast. Marco had confessed that they use to free run at night, and taught her how to jump, tumble, climb and sprint from building to building.

Reiner had been a burlier, more muscular fellow, and he to use to be involved in sports: lacrosse, and football. He had no special skills to speak of, but he always managed to keep up everyone's moral, and offered enough strength that the group eventually took to calling him their 'secret weapon,' as little who dared to oppose him ever won.

In thanks for each of them sharing their physical talents with her, Petra taught all of them how to fight using moves she learned from her kick boxing days, as well as certain holds to pin people down, and how to get out of them.

Unlike the first family she had been with, who had lasted all of two weeks, Petra had survived with this group of teens for about a year and a half.

That was before the fall of Trost. The walls of the district crumbled in a freak earthquake, letting hundreds of Titans overrun the district, and forcing everyone to migrate to yet another city.

Petra and her group had been cornered by Titans only three miles short of the next district: the walled city of Maria. She had watched helplessly from a roof top in the suburbs as Marco had been torn to shreds.

His screams of fear and agony will always haunt her.

Jean and Reiner had managed to get away, but was on a roof with Ymir and Historia, one much too far for Petra to make the jump.

Petra had yelled over to them that she would be alright, that she would fight, and meet them in the the city of Maria. After breaking into a hotel and staying the night at the edge of the suburbs alone, against all odds, she had made it to Maria early the following morning. However, Petra had never found them in the next city.

She had searched the slums for weeks, dodging firefights from rival gangs fighting for territory, but she never did find any of them. In a city crammed to capacity with over one hundred thousand residents, it was unlikely she would ever see the four teens again, and that was if they had even made it to this city.

Petra had debated whether or not she should join up with a gang, but she had never been good with firing a gun before, and doubted any gang would spare a weapon or the precious ammo to teach her.

Eventually, she decided to sneak from city to city, working as a smuggler. She knew all the breaches in the wall in her city and many in the neighboring ones, and never stayed in one place for too long. She established a few different hideouts for herself in three of the neighboring districts, an even a few outside the walls, in the suburbs surrounding the towns.

Over the next six months, she had started to become an entirely different person. She took to dressing as a boy, fearing that her womanly figure might attract the wrong kind of attention. She collected medical supplies, food, water, and any weapons she could get her hands on, storing them in each of her hideouts.

All the running around taught her many things about survival. How to be independent and self-sufficient, how to patch herself up if ever she was seriously wounded, and how one can never let their guard down.

The world was cruel, and as the days again began to grow shorter, and the nights grew longer and colder, Petra found herself ambushed by a group of bandits lurking on the outskirts of the walled district of Rose. She had managed to knock out three of the five men, but remaining two had beaten her senseless, leaving her bleeding and broken body out in the cold after taking all of the provisions she had been carrying on her person.

When she came to, her jacket, shoes, and weapons were all gone. Seeing that she still had on her pants and shirt, she was grateful that they at least had the decency not to rape or murder her, but her celebration was short lived, as she had been at the feet of eight Titans. Ignoring her pain, she had bolted upright, and sprinted for a nearby tree line, climbing the first one she saw. She has spent the night high in the branches, shivering and alone.

Eventually, they gave up, and she was able to make her way back into the city, bleeding and frozen.

Having lost her faith in humanity for a third time, Petra spent the next month gathering all of her supplies in two buildings, both isolated from people outside the walls, on the outskirts of Stohess. The town just before the walled city had beautiful buildings, and most of them were high rises, which sat close together, the perfect environment for free running.

Her first base was located on the western side of town, in an old brick firehouse. The stairs were easy enough to block off, and the fire escape poles made it nearly impossible for the Titans to reach her on the second floor. Petra rarely came to this area of town, as it was usually crawling with the undead, but thought it best to keep a base there just in case she ventured over there for whatever reason and couldn't make it back to the gym before night fall.

Her second base was in a blue five story tall building, located in the southern side of town. She camped out on the top floor, which was once a gym. Immediately taking a liking to all the weights and punching bags, not to mention all the vending machines filled with food and Gatorade, Petra spent the majority of her time there, when she wasn't scouring the empty town for other supplies.

Well, mostly empty, with the exception of the Titans, and occasional gangs passing through. So far, no one besides her dared to stay in the abandoned district for very long, as the Titan population was fairly dense. But Petra likes to think of them as guard dogs, keeping intruders out.

Well, for the most part.

* * *

 _~Stohess District, Inside the Walls~_

"Isabel!" Levi screamed from where he crouched behind a rusted car for cover, bullets flying past him. The young girl he was calling out to was pinned, unable to re-enter the walls and join her comrades where they crouched by abandoned vehicles. "Stay where you are!" he ordered, shouting over the gunfire. "We'll come to you!"

He and around half of the members of his gang were in the middle of a firefight, as an opposing gang had jumped them just as they were leaving the safety of the walls, about to venture outside, wanting to gain control over that particular opening in the wall for their own purposes.

Isabel had only recently joined his gang a few months prior, and had not yet received her tattoo. This had been not only her first job, but also her first chance to prove herself to Levi, the leader of the Corps gang. But now, it was all she could do to avoid being shot, as she took cover in the very hole in the wall her crew had been trying to sneak out of.

"No aniki!" Isabel yelled back to him. "You'll get shot!" She looked behind her, through the open hole and out into the world beyond it. She did not know what was more terrifying, being shot, or venturing out into the world beyond the walls, having not left the city since the two years she had migrated there.

Seeing how Isabel stared so intently at the opening behind her, Levi's eyes widened, knowing what she was planning.

"ISABEL, DON"T!" he demanded, horrified at the thought of her being out in Titan country alone, armed with nothing but a knife.

"I'm gonna try and make it to where we were gonna go, in the other part of Stohess! I can hide in a tall building until you coma and get me!" she yelled over to him, her hands clenched, as she tried not to show how hard she was trembling. Holding back tears and taking a deep breath, the young girl disappeared from sight, setting off for the next town alone.

"ISABEL!" Levi cried after the girl, but she was already gone.

As if something snapped inside him, the leader of the Corps gang returned his attention to the firefight, a deadly fire burning in his eyes. Once he made sure to give her the time to get a head start, he and the rest of his allies forced the opposing gang back far enough to retake the hole in the wall, and waited for an opening to go after their friend.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: Yeah, hi, FeelingDreamy here! Here is yet another chapter in under 24 hours, and the next one should be up in about 2 or three lol. Writer's block is a bitch, so I'm cranking out these chapters while I can, before I can't figure out what to write any more. I realize I only just posted this story like 2 days ago, so it only has like 11 views, but I still wanna continue adding chapters, hoping that maybe the number of chapters will draw people in. Review guys! So that I know you even like this piece and can clarify any questions you may have!**

 **I own nothing.**

 **Enjoy,** ** _~Dreamers_** **!**

* * *

Becoming a little low on food, Petra decided to go to one of her usual places. At the edge of town, nearest the wall, there was a large greenhouse on top of a seven story building. She had discovered it when she had first come to the town months ago, and thought it was worth checking out, even though she highly doubted she would find anything still alive for her to eat.

Pleasantly surprised, Petra had discovered a gaping hole in one corner of the glass ceiling, allowing rain water to leak in from outside, sustaining a few of the plants that were left. Inside were fruits, like bananas, strawberries, and even some blueberries. Antioxidants. There were nuts of all different kinds, including almonds and pecans. Protein, and Petra thanked God she wasn't allergic to nuts. There were even some vegetables, like red and green bell peppers, some peas, carrots, and tomatoes.

She had stuffed her face, tearing into the fruit and eating the vegetables raw, having not eaten in days. She had at one point in her life worried over being to fat, regretting an extra doughnut or slice of pizza. Not only had her stomach flattened out from the lack of processed foods in her new diet of whatever-she-could-get-her-hands-on-that-wasn't-already-expired, Petra had become so thin that her ribs would have been embarrassingly visible if anyone were to see her shirtless. Her once voluminous breasts had shrunk a full cup size, her body deciding survival was more important than beauty.

Petra repaired the hole in the ceiling of the greenhouse, and took it upon herself to keep up with the plants, traveling to the site at least one to two times at day. Now that she had found her only chance of a secure food source, she would fight to protect it. She weeded the garden, brought in fresh dirt from outside, and even planted a few seeds she had found in a bag in the greenhouse. Petra funneled rain water into empty buckets she found around town with large tarps she pulled from alleyways and crumbling rooftops.

Everyday was a struggle, but it was a welcomed distraction from the loneliness she felt by being on her own.

Dressing in black leggings and a long, tight fitting leather jacket, Petra stepped into a thick pair of boots, and laced them up. Now that she no longer dealt much with the people inside the walls, Petra had resumed dressing as a girl, knowing she would receive no lecherous stares from the men who she had often worked for a a smuggler.

She hid several knives all around her body, and even a small hand gun. Over the past few months, she had taught herself how to shoot a little with the ammo she found around town, though she still was not very good. Putting the safety on, she slipped it into her weapon holster, which she had found at an abandoned police station in the empty town.

She had to admit, the gun was more affective against bandits then it was against Titans. At least humans felt pain if she shot them in a limb, but the Titans would just keep coming unless you were lucky enough to get a head shot. Plus, even if she managed to nail a few undead with bullets, more would follow, drawn to the sound.

But a few months ago, Petra lucked out.

While raiding one of the apartments in town for extra clothes and supplies, she stumbled upon a bow.

The people that had once lived there had collected dozens of arrows, and Petra had taken lessons shooting it when she was in her earlier teens, and was excited to find a weapon she was more familiar with. The arrows were much quieter than gunshots, and could often be retrieved or repaired in ever she decided to retrieve them from the corpse of a Titan after taking it down.

Still, she always made a point to carry a gun with her, just in case. In a world where death lied behind every corner, one could never be too careful, especially in Petra's case. Because she was alone, she knew that no one would come to save her if she ran into trouble. If she fell ill or injured herself, there was no one to nurse her back to health.

She learned to pay attention to every sound, to question what it was, how far away, and when to know if she should return to one of her safe houses, or continue scavenging for supplies on each run she made into town. This new found skill had served her well on more than one occasion, and would continue to in the future.

When Petra's stomach let out an audible growl, she grabbed her black backpack, and slung it over both of her shoulders, fastening the straps in the front. Deciding to take her bow and some arrows, just in case, she slid each into their respective pockets on the outside of her pack, velcroing them into place.

Jumping up and down to make sure nothing would fall off of her or rattle to loudly, Petra left her home in the gym, locking the door behind her, and headed for the greenhouse by the wall.

She was pleased to see that she had completely avoided Titans as she jumped from building to building, and hoped that the rest of her food run would continue to go smoothly. However, when she was halfway there, Petra started to hear gunfire, and the shots weren't that far away.

Ducking down behind the small wall surrounding the rooftop she was on, Petra grabbed her handgun, turning the safety off. She would do whatever it took to avoid a confrontation, but knew taking precautions was never a bad idea. Listening hard, she peeked her head over the cement wall that divided her from the gunfire, scouring the streets below her to see if she could locate where the shots were coming from.

After a tense moment, a young girl with short red hair, many shades darker than Petra's dashed around the corner of a building. She clung to a knife, holding it defensively in front of her with both hands as she ran, and even from where she was crouched several stories above the action, Petra could tell that the kid was shaking. The girl looked around, her head whipping in every direction, desperately trying to find a place to hide, as the sound of the bandits drew closer.

The girl turned into an alley, and right into a group of Titans. She screamed and quickly backed away, but fell back after tripping on a curve.

"Hey, I think I heard something over here!" cried on of the men off in the distance, signaling to the other men.

Without thinking, Petra leapt down to a lower building, where she took aim, and fired at the Titans standing over the trembling girl. She had managed to hit one of them, but nowhere vital. Still, the sound distracted them for a moments, as they came towards her building, and away from the girl, though none of them would be able to reach her on the second story.

The girl however, did look up, and located Petra. Petra pointed to a different alley way, and quickly started making her way there herself, catapulting her body from building to building once more. The girl hesitated for only a second before deciding to follow her, knowing that if the woman had wanted to shoot her, then she would have shot her instead of the Titans.

The bandits arrived just as the younger girl turned into the alley.

"Hey, that's her over there!" cried one of the men, earning a curse from Petra as she reached the girl.

"Where is she?!" yelled another man.

"She ran into that alley over there!" replied the first man.

Wasting no time, Petra lead the girl through another alley, keeping a close eye out for Titans all the while.

"Why are you helping me?" the girl cried silently, terrified to make too much noise, and risk discovery.

"Why not?" Petra smiled at the girl over her shoulder, then quickly changed the subject. "Do you know how many of them that there are?"

"A-About six or seven? I don't know, it was too crazy to count them all!" the girl sniffled.

"Any estimate is better than nothing," Petra said in an attempt to console the panicking girl.

"Wh-What's your name?" the girl asked as they continued to wind through the alleys, eventually stopping at a fire escape.

"Petra. What about you?" Petra said as she hoisted the girl up, telling her to climb.

"I-Isabel," the girl grunted as she reached for the rusted ladder.

"Alright, Isabel, now you listen to me very carefully," Petra told her in a gently yet stern voice. "There is a greenhouse at the top of this building. Take my backpack, and fill it with fruits and nuts and veggies," she instructed as she filled up her backpack, throwing the now empty bag up to the girl, who caught it.

"Wait, what about you?" Isabel asked.

"Don't worry, I'll meet you up there in a few minutes, as soon as I draw them away," Petra promised her. She knew that she would undoubtedly have to kill at least a few of them to drive the rest out of town, but did not want to scare Isabel any more than she already was. "Now hurry up and climb!"

Nodding through teary eyes, Isabel did as she was told.

* * *

After killing most of the men at the gate, Levi and the rest of the Corps followed after Isabel, and after the bandits that had chased her into town. Images of their tiny comrade being shot or beaten by thugs, or eaten by Titans filled their thoughts, and each of them tried hard to put such visions out of their minds. All of them had lost friends and loved ones from both causes, and would do everything in their power to prevent little Isabel from befalling the same fate.

After twenty minutes of non-stop running, the gang had finally made it into town. Levi led the pack, and made everyone take cover as soon as they heard voices and gunfire. A few of the men soon came into view, but just as the Corps had started to take aim at them from the shadows, another shot was fired, and one of the thugs fell to the ground, dead.

Searching to see where the mystery shot had come from, Levi scanned the area. Judging by the way the body fell, the shot had been fired from above, though the angry men below had not yet caught onto that fact.

They cursed and swiveled their heads around madly, trying to figure out where to shoot. Levi noticed a man straggling behind in the group, which was now down to five men, just in time to see a flurry of black and orange.

A figure in dark clothing came into view, and Levi assumed that such a slender figure could only belong to a woman.

She snuck stealthily behind the man, revealing just how short she really was, as the man was over a foot taller than her. She knocked him out with the back of her gun. Taking his weapons, she slipped back into the shadows of the alley from which she had come.

"Did you see that Levi?!" whispered one of his men, Farlan.

"Who the hell was that?!" asked another member of his crew, a woman named Hanji.

"It doesn't matter who she is, but she clearly isn't on the same side as those thugs," concluded Levi, wondering just where she had disappeared to.

Another shot was fired, this time from up high again, and yet another man fell to the ground, dead, an arrow embedded in the back of his neck.

Searching the skyline for the sniper, Levi was surprised to find the woman again, shooting from above, this time wielding a bow.

"On top of the building! There! That bitch is shooting at us," cried one of the three remaining men, finally catching on.

Levi watched as she ducked out of view, hiding from the bullets. The next time she appeared, her body was propelling itself from building to building impressively as she ran away, until she again disappeared from sight.

"Let's follow the fight," Levi suggested. "If we're lucky, the woman may just take all of them out for us. Then we can search the city for Isabel."

"PETRA!" a familiar scream sounded from the rooftops.

Again scanning the tops of the buildings, Levi located the owner of the voice: it was Isabel.

"ISABEL!" Hanji yelled, trying to get their friend's attention, but her friend couldn't hear them over the bullets, still thundering through the air. She received a hard smack upside the head by Levi.

"Are you trying to give us away you dumbass?!" he whispered harshly.

"Come on Levi, we can take 'em! There's only three left!" stated Farlan.

"We've got the bastards out-numbered!" she complained, chiming in as she was rubbing her head.

"Can you not count?! There are three of us and three of them!" Levi said incredulously.

"That girl too!" Hanji corrected him.

"How do you know she won't turn on us when we get to them?" questioned Levi as they ran after the thugs, being sure to keep a safe distance.

"The chick is helping Isabel. If she finds out Isabel is with us, then the girl probably won't attack us," remarked Farlan.

"Probably," repeated Hanji nonchalantly.

"Tsk," was all the reply they received from Levi, as he led them further into the city, towards the building where they had last seen Isabel.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: So I've been re-reading and reposting some of my chapters to fix my mistakes, and let me just say, typos, typos everywhere! Other than that…not much going on in my life right now, but I go back to college on the 17th of August, so there's something. Lol, hopefully my next author's note will be full of more interesting things! (as long as they're good things!)**

 **I still (unfortunately) do NOT own AOT/SNK.**

 **Enjoy** ** _~Dreamers_** **, and please review! (Seriously, because I still don't know if you all are even enjoying this! Oh and for those of you that are new: ~** ** _Dreamers_** **is what I call my readers, stemming from my username** ** _FeelingDreamy_** **.)**

…

"Did you get the food," Petra asked Isabel, who nodded, running over to the woman.

"I thought you said you were gonna lead them away!" the girl stated in confusion.

"I lied so that you wouldn't freak out any more than you already were," Petra admitted honestly, reaching for the bag. "I did manage to take out three of them, but we need to go before they can scale a building. We're gonna have to jump now, okay?" Petra told the girl as she kneeled down before the ledge of the building, using the greenhouse as cover from bullets.

Isabel nodded bravely, as Petra laced her fingers together to give the girl a boot, not trusting her to complete the jump and make it to the other building alone.

But just as Isabel stepped into Petra's hands, a man burst through the door behind them, gun in hand. Before he or Isabel had the time to react, Petra used all of her strength to launch Isabel over to the next building.

Isabel had made it safely over to the next building just as Petra was shot in the shoulder.

Not wanting to give the man a chance to shoot again, Petra launched her body forward, letting the adrenaline rushing through her veins distract her from the searing pain in her shoulder. She kicked the gun out of the man's hands and threw a punch at him with her good arm, hitting him square in the jaw, but not knocking him out.

He managed to grab ahold of her, and forcefully threw her to the ground, causing her to scream out in pain, clutching her shoulder with one hand. The man had retrieved his gun just as the remaining two men joined him. Petra went to fire her own gun, but it was out of bullets. She threw it at the first man, and pulled a knife out of one of her boots while they dodged it.

Before she even had the chance to spring forward, three shots were fired. A second later, the three thugs fell to the ground, dead at her feet.

Petra looked to the direction in which the shots had come from, noting that they had come from a level similar to hers. Across the street from her, three people sat atop a building a story taller that the one she was on. One of them was a woman, who had tan skin, and brown hair that was pulled up in a ponytail. The other two were both men, one with sandy blond hair, who looked to be about six feet tall, while the other man was nearly a foot shorter, with darker features.

Something about the way the shorter man's serious expression told Petra that he was probably the boss.

"Aniki!" Isabel exclaimed excitedly from where she stood on the building nearest Petra.

"You know them?" Petra called over to the girl, not taking her eyes off of the three.

"Yeah, we're in the same gang!" the girl cried happily, as if this fact were no big deal. But before any of them could celebrate, loud groans and moaning sounds drew their attention to the streets down below them.

Hundreds of Titans flooded the streets, far too many to kill all of them. The gunfire must have lured all of them over.

This was the worst case scenario. She was hurt, surrounded by Titans and people she was not sure she could trust, and night was falling quickly. Knowing the streets were too dangerous, and that soon the inside of their buildings would been overrun with Titans, Petra thought quickly.

"We need to get out of here," she called over to the gang. "There's a brick fire station on your side of the town. You guys can chill there for the night," Petra told them, fishing the key to the building out of her pocket, and throwing it over to them with her good arm.

It was caught by the shorter thug.

"I'll take care of the girl in another of my hideouts, across town. There's a walkie at the fire station, and I've got one were we're going. We can stay in touch using them, and meet up in the morning."

She shared a long look with the short thug, trying to read him. The deadly stare he gave her seemed to scream 'watch over her,' in reference to Isabel. His stare then traveled to her heavily bleeding shoulder, before darting back up to meet her gaze.

"Don't worry. I can still protect her," Petra called over to him, ignoring the dizzy feeling that was starting to come over her. After staring each other down for another long moment, he gave her a single, curt nod.

With that, they split off into two different directions.

…

Unfortunately for Petra, Isabel was not a great free runner.

Knowing she would not last much longer, Petra was forced to repeatedly launch the girl from building to building, which took a heavy toll on her shoulder.

The shortest route she knew of to get to the gym from the greenhouse took herself around twenty minutes. She thought about taking a longer, easier route, so that Isabel wouldn't need her help. This would've given her shoulder a much needed break, but then they would have to travel in the dark of night, and Petra didn't want to take that chance.

Petra could already feel the temperatures starting to plummet, and fought back a shiver as she readied herself to jump to yet another building, still recovering from the last boost she had given to Isabel only moments before.

Around forty minutes later, they had reached the gym. After letting themselves in and locking the door behind them, Petra was finally able to sit down.

"Isabel, grab the lamp over there," Petra gestured with her good arm, pointing to where the battery powered light's location. Isabel responded with a hum, and retrieved the lamp, flipping it on, and setting it next to Petra.

"Do you have a first aid kit?" asked Isabel, wanting to help. Petra told her where to find it, and the girl quickly hurried back to her, a white box with a red plus in hand.

After Petra disinfected her would, she allowed Isabel to remove her shirt, and bandage her shoulder. She knew that the bullet was still lodged in her wound, but was too afraid she'd only make it worse by trying to remove it herself. Right now, it was all she could do to stop the bleeding.

"Isabel, you see that room over there?" Petra asked the girl, nodding towards a door. "In it is the walkie I mentioned earlier, and some canned food. Bring me the walkie so we can contact your friends, and some grub so we can eat."

"Okay!" the young girl chimed, the mention of food brightening her mood a bit.

"There's blankets too. Get all of them," Petra added quickly as an afterthought. Isabel returned with said items in tow, handing Petra the walkie and covering her one of the plush blankets, and then with a comforter. "You can go ahead and start eating while I call your friends. But let me make myself clear on one thing," Petra warned, getting Isabel's full attention. "Do not tell them anything about where we are, got it?"

"But why not?" questioned Isabel. "They won't hurt you, I promise!"

"Sorry kid, but I can't trust people so easily. I already let them into my other hideout. This place is all I got now where no one knows where I am," Petra explained to her, feeling weary. "That's final."

"Alright, I promise not to say anything," Isabel agreed as she cracked open a can of soup, while Petra turned on the walkie. She held down a button, and spoke into it. "You guys still alive?" she asked bluntly. They responded almost immediately.

"Ha! I told you it was working, Levi!" said a woman through the static. "They just didn't have theirs turned on!"

"Hanji!" Isabel exclaimed through a mouthful of soup.

"You guys make it out okay?" asked another voice, one of the men.

"Yeah, but Petra's shoulder is hurt real bad! She can't get the bullet out," Isabel informed them.

"Which one is he?" Petra asked the girl, not needing the reminder about her shoulder.

"That's Farlan!" replied Isabel.

"The taller one?" Petra guessed, thinking the man sounded far too cheerful to be the shorter thug.

"Mmhm!" Isabel hummed. Petra turned back to the walkie.

"There's a white church in the center of town. We can meet you guys there tomorrow, once all the Titans have cleared out. You guys can help yourself to whatever food and supplies I left over there, including the weapons and ammo," Petra grunted, "and if any of you guys wanna volunteer to get this bullet out of my shoulder tomorrow, I'd really appreciate it."

"Petra, right? Hanji can get the bullet out," replied a third voice, who Petra assumed was the shorter thug, Levi. "You just watch over Isabel tonight."

"You say that like you think I'm gonna be able to sleep tonight," Petra said sarcastically, knowing that the pain would undoubtedly keep her up. "Don't worry, I'll protect her, and you guys can all return to the district tomorrow. Check in with me in the morning." Petra handed the walkie over to Isabel, so that she could bid her friends goodnight. After turning off the device for the night to conserve battery power, Petra made herself as comfortable as possible for what was sure to be a painful night's rest.

…

Petra had already known that the night would be a long one, but she could have never guessed that it would be so painful.

She threw up a few times, not from nausea, but from the sheer agony of the bullet, still lodged in her shoulder. Isabel had helped Petra tie her hair back, while she crouched over a bucket, gagging on the her own bile. When Petra had thrown off her warm blankets and tossed her jacket aside, leaving her in only a tank top, despite the cold, Isabel felt her head, only to discover that the woman was blistering with a high fever.

Once Petra had fallen asleep, exhausted, Isabel grabbed the walkie, and turned it on, hoping that her friends would answer. There was silence for a moment, and Isabel wondered if they had turned theirs off for the night. But then, just as she was about to turn the device off, someone answered.

It was Levi.

"What's wrong?" asked the man through the static, knowing that the unplanned call could only mean trouble.

"Levi! It's Petra!" whispered Isabel, trying to be quiet, not wanting to wake the woman who slept restlessly beside her. "She threw up earlier, and now she's running a fever. I don't know what to do! She took some Aspirin, but it hasn't kicked in yet," she explained in a rush.

"Where is she now?" asked Levi seriously, concerned.

"Next to me, sleeping," Isabel whispered.

"How is her breathing?" inquired the man.

"She's panting really hard, like she was running rally fast, and she's all sweaty," Isabel told him. "Levi, Petra keeps crying. I didn't even know you could even cry in your sleep."

Levi however, did know this.

"Where are you?" asked Levi, his gut telling him that waiting until morning might be too late.

"Uh, Petra told me not to tell you guys. She doesn't want people who are strangers to know where she lives," admitted Isabel sheepishly.

"Either you tell me where you are, or she doesn't make it. Your choice, kid," Levi told her simply, laying out their options. At first, Isabel hesitated, before making up her mind.

"Okay, okay," she sighed. "We're in a blue, five story building. It's a gym. In the..we ran south, right? Yeah, in the southern part of town. You can't miss it."

"Good choice, kid," Levi commented, kicking Hanji and Farlan to wake them up. "Hang tight, we'll be there soon."


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: I realize that it's only been a few days and that I'm probably being horribly impatient, but seriously guys, no reviews yet? D: Like 63 of you have read this crap already, and I really wanna know what you guys think!**

 **I own nothing of AOT/SNK!**

 **Enjoy, ~** ** _Dreamers_** **!**

…

Petra awoke early the next morning under a mountain of blankets, with a damp rag draped over her forehead, attempting to soothe her pounding headache. Isabel must have taken care of her while she was asleep.

Part of her was happy, grateful to the girl for watching over her. However, another part of her was annoyed, angry that she had broken her unspoken promise to the man called Levi. Petra had promised him that she would protect Isabel, and here she was sleeping, breaking that promise.

Petra looked over to where Isabel sat beside her, wide awake.

"You're up early," Petra stated. "Can't sleep?"

Isabel shook her head in defiance, and Petra noticed the deep purple bags that had formed under the girl's eyes.

"I'm not sleeping until you're feeling better!" Isabel pouted, and Petra thought that she looked kind of cute.

"Then I doubt you'll be sleeping anytime soon," Petra chuckled. She tried to push herself up into a sitting position, but the throbbing ache of her wound came flooding back all at once, the pain no longer dulled by her initial waking drowsiness. Wincing in pain, Petra let her body fall pitifully back onto the floor, too weak to sit up.

Noticing this, Isabel stood up, and walked over to Petra's side, where she hooked Petra's good arm over her shoulder. Between the two of them, they were able to help Petra up into a sitting position, leaning her against the wall.

"You can get yourself some breakfast if you want," Petra told the girl, again gesturing to the other room, and clutching her wounded shoulder with one hand.

But before Isabel could answer, the walkie sounded. Petra glared at the device, wondering if it had been left on all night, draining the batteries.

"Isabel, you there?" said the voice of Levi through the static.

Glaring at Isabel, Petra reached for the walkie, but Isabel got to it first.

"Hi, aniki!" the girl answered cheerfully. "Are you guys almost here?"

"We're outside," the man announced simply, and Petra felt the color drain from her face.

"They're what?!" Petra rounded on the girl, her voice hoarse. "I thought I told you not to tell them where-"

"I lied so you wouldn't freak out," said Isabel in a mocking tone, mimicking the very words that Petra had told her yesterday, after she had gone off to fight the bandits on her own. She walked up to the first window she saw, and out of reach of Petra, who was unable to stand up by herself. "Aniki! Can you see me? Look up!"

The walkie was quiet for a few seconds, as the three were scanning the building, before the man replied, "Yeah, I see you. We'll be right up."

Isabel turned the device off, setting it next to Petra, being sure to maintain a safe distance from the furious woman.

"I'm gonna go and let them in, okay?" Isabel told her, not waiting for a reply before descending a flight of stairs, and Petra could hear their heartfelt reunion a few stories below her.

"That little brat," Petra muttered under her breath, angry that she may have to find a new place to live, after having grown so attached to the gym, even going so far as to hang up her own works of art to make the place feel more like home.

A few short moments later, Isabel reappeared, leading the three members of her gang right to where Petra sat, still leaning against the wall.

Ignoring but not forgetting the presence of the woman and the taller man, who she assumed to be Hanji and Farlan, Petra's eyes became locked on the most intimidating set of eyes among the group, belonging to Levi.

Petra took in his short yet muscled stature, wondering briefly exactly how tall he was. It was hard to tell, as all of them towered over her like skyscrapers from where she sat, helplessly on the floor. His eyes were a steely grey, and his skin was slightly tanned. The back of his head was cut into a fade, while the rest of his dark hair fell a little into his eyes.

"Sorry that I couldn't make it to the meeting place," she said finally, wanting to break the ice.

Levi brushed aside the comment, still taking her in as well.

"You did enough," he finally said, looking down at her, noting how Petra clutched at her wounded shoulder, the bandages visible underneath her jacket, which she had pulled on and off over the course of the night, trying to keep her feverous body at the right temperature. "Hanji, get the first aid kit," he ordered.

"Right away, Boss!" the woman with glasses saluted dramatically, removing her backpack and retrieving their own white box.

Petra broke her gaze away from Levi, as her eyes dotted nervously to Hanji, who was readying the items inside.

"So how bad was it?" asked the guy known as Farlan, who had pulled up a stool from one of the numerous work out machines to sit on.

"On what, a scale of one to ten?" Petra cracked sarcastically, still watching Hanji uneasily.

"Yeah, give us a number," he played along, also trying to lighten the mood a bit, which Petra deeply appreciated.

"Considering I don't have much of a pain tolerance, I'd say a pretty solid eleven," Petra grunted, shifting uncomfortably. "Twelve being childbirth," she joked.

"You do look pretty bad. No offense or anything," Farlan said quickly, not wanting to insult her.

"None taken. But honestly, I'm a bit-…of a wuss when it comes to pain. You're probably gonna have to hold me down to get the bullet out," she told them, about to curse but hesitating when she looked over at Isabel. Petra knew that the kid had probably already been predisposed to foul language, she was in a gang after all, but Petra still didn't want to be the one to curse in front of a child.

"We could always knock you out!" Hanji offered, and it took Petra a moment to realize that she was serious.

"Uh…no thank you," Petra told her, afraid of being unconscious around a group of strangers.

"Suit yourself," Hanji shrugged nonchalantly. "Okay, everything's ready. Can I see your shoulder?"

Petra hesitated for a few seconds, before nodding reluctantly, removing her jacket with help from Isabel.

Blood from her wound leaked through the bandages, staining the white cloth with deep spots of crimson.

"Wow, this is worse than I thought it would be," Hanji admitted, turning serious, having expected only a minor graze. "Those guys really got you. Okay, I'm gonna remove your bandages now."

"Wait," Petra halted her. "Sorry, but can you guys um…turn around for a second?"

"You heard her boys!" Hanji ordered them, trying to keep the mood light, knowing Petra was already rather terrified, and didn't want two men she had only just met to see her bare chest.

Levi regarded the injured girl before him for a minute, before pushing off of the wall he had been leaning on, turning around.

"Wow, you're really feverish," Hanji commented as she pulled Petra's tank top over her head.

"Is that why everything's spinning?" Petra joked as Hanji helped her lie back down onto the comforters acting as her bed on the hard cement floor.

"That, and you probably lost a lot of blood yesterday," Hanji told her, producing some scissors. "Okay, I'm gonna cut away your bandages now, that way you won't have to sit up until we're done."

Petra nodded gratefully, gulping as she felt the coolness of the metal blades gently brush against her skin as they snipped through the gauze. Once the material was removed from her skin, Hanji covered Petra's now bare chest with one of the other blankets, so that only her neck and shoulders were showing. Hanji disinfected some scalpels and tweezers with what smelled like alcohol, as well as Petra's wound, warning her that it would sting.

Petra looked away, fighting back tears as she felt her wound throb and burn.

"Want me to get the guys now?" Hanji asked her gently, knowing that if the poor girl was already crying, then this would be a fairly painful procedure for her.

Petra wiped away a few of the tears that had fallen down her cheeks with her good arm, before muttering a tiny okay.

"Oi, Levi, Farlan, turn back around. I'm gonna need a little muscle here," Hanji called to the men, who walked over to them, kneeling to sit beside Petra. "Farlan, get her legs. Levi, hold down her upper body. Oh, and Isabel?"

"Yes?" answered the girl, walking over to them as the men got into position.

"Hold her hand," Hanji told her simply.

"I'll try my best not to scream, so that I don't attract too many Titans," Petra offered, her voice shaking, fearful of what was about to transpire.

"Don't bother making promises you can't keep, kid," Levi told her, earning him a glare from the terrified girl on the floor.

Farlan held Petra's ankles, while Levi placed a firm hand on her good shoulder, the other on her ribcage, below her heart, and just shy of the swell of her breast. But before Petra could even blush, Hanji announced that they were ready whenever she was.

Levi could feel her shaking.

Taking in a sharp breath, Petra gave them the go ahead, and so began what would be nearly an hour of screaming.

…

The first couple of shards Hanji had pulled out of Petra had not been pieces of shrapnel from the bullet, but pieces of Petra's shattered collar bone.

Even Levi had to admit that the wound had been terrible, and he had seen plenty of bullet wounds, having survived more than a few himself.

A few times, Petra had nearly fainted from the pain, but was never so lucky.

After the majority of the bone was removed, Hanji was forced to go deeper into Petra's flesh, knowing that the bullet was still in there somewhere, as there had been no exit wound that she could see.

Eventually though, Hanji had found it, and was pleased to see that it was still in one piece. She announced to everyone in the room that it was almost over, but mostly just to reassure Petra, who was now covered in sweat, and was currently crying in little hiccupy sobs.

In Petra's mouth was the meaty part of Levi's right hand, near his thumb, which he had shoved into her mouth around the first ten moments of the surgery. She had been unable to keep herself from crying out, and he had offered it to her so that she had something to bite, afraid that the noise would attract Titans, despite them being on the fifth floor.

Another moment of agony and muffled screams, and Hanji was finally able to get a good hold on the bullet with the tweezers, removing it with a sickening schukling sound.

Hanji held the bullet up for all to see, but Petra looked away, shutting her eyes tightly, and Levi told Hanji to throw the disgusting thing away, as a small piece of Petra's flesh had come with it.

It was only after Petra had been stitched up that she pulled Levi's now bleeding hand from her mouth with her good arm, wiping off some the spit and blood with the blanket that covered her upper chest.

"Sorry if I hurt you," she squeaked weakly, panting a little. "Make sure to put some medicine on it."

"Yeah, in case you have rabies or something," he teased, his gaze never once leaving hers.

"One can never be too careful, it being the end of the world and all," Farlan joined in, also wanting to cheer her up a little.

"Hey, you guys, don't be mean to her!" Isabel defended, not releasing her hold on Petra's hand.

"Thanks Doc," Petra said, swiveling her head around to face Hanji, who was readying a fresh roll of gauze.

"No problem, Petra," the woman smiled, sitting Petra up with some help from Levi, who made sure to keep her chest covered up with the comforter. "I only wish I could have made it less painful for you."

But there had been no response from Petra, who was now sleeping soundly on Levi's shoulder.

"…She's out cold," Levi stated after a moment, listening as Petra's breathing deepened, evening out.

"I think she's earned a good rest after all of that," remarked Farlan, who stood up and looked away as Hanji dressed Petra's shoulder, while Levi held her up to make the task go more smoothly.

"Yeah, she hardly slept at all last night," Isabel told them, still holding Petra's hand, remembering how the girl had clutched at it like a lifeline only moments earlier.

"So what do we do now, Levi? The others are probably worried sick by now, wondering where the hell we are," Hanji asked him as he laid the girl gently back down, trying to make her more comfortable. "I doubt she'll wake up until at least nightfall, if not tomorrow."

"We'll stay with her for today, but only if someone goes back to the district to let everyone know we're alright, and get them all caught up," Levi told her.

"Okay, now who's going?" Hanji said.

"I can go," Farlan offered, knowing that Hanji was needed here, and that Levi would not leave the others until they were all back behind the safety of the walls.

Levi regarded Farlan for a moment, before nodding in agreement. After readying his gear, Farlan set out for the walls, leaving the safety of the gym.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: So yeah. Here I am again, posting yet another chapter within 24 hours. Maybe I should update my other story before my readers kill me O.o It's been like a week, which for me is pretty long not to update, unless of course I get writer's block or something, then a week and a half, give or take. And did you guys all make babies over night or what? This story has like over 120 views now! (Yay!) Please review guys!**

 **I own nothing!**

 **Enjoy,** ** _~Dreamers_** **!**

* * *

Knowing that Petra would not be waking up anytime soon, and that it would take Farlan at least two hours to return to them from Stohess district, Levi told Hanji and Isabel to hang tight.

He had told Hanji and Farlan that they would be staying with Petra at least until she could take care of herself again, as the girl was currently too vulnerable for them to leave her as she was now. After taking a bullet for Isabel, they all agreed helping Petra get back up on her feet was the least they could do to repay her.

Now that things had quieted down some, Levi took the opportunity to really take in his surroundings.

Levi looked up at the walls around Petra from where she slept on the floor, this time noticing the drawings that decorated the space. Pictures of many different types hung everywhere, some on canvases or paper, and others even on cardboard, as if the artist had nothing else to use.

Some were drawn in pencil, in a light hand. They were delicate things, like the feather of a bird as it fell slowly to the ground, or the bending branches of a tree as they swayed to a gentle breeze.

There were a few paintings, and all of them were pictures of the sky. One picture depicted light, fluffy, gentle looking clouds, which floated in the atmosphere high above a colorful towel that was laid out on a white, sandy beach, looking out to a shimmering sapphire sea.

However, if Levi had to pick a favorite, it would have to be one of the charcoal drawings.

The artist skillfully used light and shadow to depict certain, and very specific emotions. One drawing showed a small hand that clearly belonged to a female. It reached out hesitantly between two paths, both in varying hues of grey. At the end of one path was a stack of heavy looking textbooks sitting on a desk in a dark room, the only light coming from a dim lamp. At the end of the other path was a sketchbook and a pencil, furiously scribbling music notes and flowers that leapt off of the paper.

This side seemed far more welcoming to Levi, as the shades were lighter, and the tone playful. If he had to choose a side, then the lighter side looked far more welcoming.

Levi stared at the pictures with wide eyes, his expression hidden from Hanji and Isabel as he faced the art covered walls. _'Did Petra do all of them?'_ Levi thought as he examined each and every piece.

But as the walls started to become more cluttered as the need for space became an issue, Levi's gaze traveled upwards, and to the ceiling, where even more pictures made themselves known. However, unlike the dozens of pictures that adorned the walls around him, the pictures on the ceiling were not random, inanimate objects, but people.

The first picture Levi examined were of a man and a woman. The man wore a suit, and at first glance appeared to be the no-nonsense sort, but his eyes were light and warm, much unlike his stoic expression on his face. His arms were around the woman in what appeared to be an intimate way. The woman beside him was practically the polar opposite, smiling cheerfully, though her own eyes were dark and baggy, as if from exhaustion, and sported a light pair of scrubs. Perhaps the woman had been a doctor, or some sort of nurse.

The more Levi looked at the two, the more he felt like he knew them. He glanced down at Petra from where she lay a few short paces away from him, taking in her facial features, and then doubled back up to the couple. When he began to notice some uncanny similarities, such as the shape of a nose or a jawline, Levi's eyes softened a bit, as he came to a conclusion.

They were Petra's parents.

It made sense. The attention to every detail, no matter how small. The almost air-brushed softness in the curves of their faces, and the lights in their eyes. There was no way that anyone would be able to draw a pair of strangers so fondly.

Unwillingly, Levi's heart went out to the girl. Why was she alone? What had happened to these people? Were they separated? Had they been ripped apart before her very eyes by Titans?

Levi tore his gaze away from the paintings, and let it rest on Petra for a long moment, so that he could study her.

Had Levi not seen her kill three men himself, he could never have guessed that the same hands that had created such innocent drawings belonged to the same person.

His mind began to drift, as Levi imagined Petra staying up late into the night, falling asleep at an easel with charcoal smudges on her face, with only a single light to guide her.

He wondered how long she had been by herself, and assumed the hard exterior she portrayed was only a front, one that he had already seen through. The moments had been brief, but very much there. Levi had seen how Petra had looked so apprehensively at them the first time they had met, but also how fondly she looked at Isabel. Perhaps she had been a big sister.

Just who, or what, had broken her trust, and driven her to take on such a hateful expression?

Levi remembered how she had shaken in fear beneath him, as he had held her down, so that Hanji could remove the bullet in her shoulder, remembered the fear in her eyes as she had looked up at him.

He tried to imagine her in a more peaceful time. What kind of clothes would she have worn to the mall with her friends? Was drawing just a simple pass time, or was she serious about it? Had she been one of the popular girls at school he probably would have loathed for her vanity, or was she more of a loner, quiet and shy? Had she even attended school, or had she been home schooled?

Levi ripped his gaze away from her still sleeping figure, instead choosing to look back up at the ceiling, wanting to quiet his mind as much as he craved the answers to said questions, annoyed that the girl had made such an impact on him, despite having only met her hours ago.

* * *

Petra had woken with a start, flinching abruptly into consciousness just as her nightmare had reached its climax, the dream fueled by her feverishness.

Immediately she winced in pain, panting, and fought to get her bearings.

"Easy kid," Levi said, his voice floating over to where she lay in her make shift bed. "You'll wake her up."

Confused as to who he meant, Petra noticed a warm pressure engulfing her hand. Slowly turned her head to see the sleeping figure of Isabel, who clung to her good arm, sleeping beside her. Smiling, Petra lightly squeezed her hand back.

"Sorry," Petra whispered, not wanting to wake her. "Just a bad dream."

"I figured as much," Levi stated, walking over to stand behind Isabel so that Petra would not have to turn her head again to look up at him. Petra had not really stirred in her sleep, but the amount of sweat on her skin told him it must have been some nightmare, he noticed. Either that, or she still had a fever.

Petra's mouth felt dry, and she looked around her, hoping to find a bottle of water somewhere within reach. Levi lightly stepped on her with his foot, which was bare except for his sock, and gently pushed her back down onto the floor, back into a resting position.

"Hey," she complained, desperately wanting something to drink, to soothe her parched and cracked lips.

"What is it?" he asked her, sounding bored, but looking down at her intently.

"Can you…please bring me some water? I'm really thirsty," she told him, hesitating at first, but eventually summoning the courage to ask him for help. Petra knew that if he had truly wanted to hurt her, then he would not have been so gentle when he had pushed her back down, or let her hold onto him while Hanji had removed the bullet from her arm.

Levi removed his foot from her, and left without saying a word, returning a moment later with a bottle of water.

Wordlessly, Levi set the bottle down beside her, and pulled her up into a sitting position, supporting her weight with one arm, before retrieving the bottle with the other.

She was indeed still a bit warm, he realized, confirming his earlier assumption as to why she may have been sweating.

Unscrewing the cap with his free hand, he brought the bottle up to her lips, and tilting it until she was able to drink.

"Oi, don't drink so fast. You'll make yourself sick," he warned her, removing the bottle from her mouth so that she could take a breath.

"Sorry, I didn't know…I'd be so thirsty," Petra admitted, panting a little, then looked away from him after muttering another apology. When she saw the bandages around his hand, she felt a pang of guilt, upset at the idea she may have hurt him more than she intended to. "Sorry about your hand."

"You're probably just dehydrated," Levi told her, holding the jug away from her until he was sure she had gotten enough air. "And quit apologizing already. It's annoying."

"I think I'm good now. Thank you," she told him, smiling at his brash demeanor. After screwing the cap back onto the water bottle, Levi set it aside, and returned Petra to the floor.

"You know you should probably eat something," he commented. "Raise your blood sugar levels a little from all the blood you lost."

"It's not like I'm diabetic," Petra teased. "I'm alright for now," but just as she said this, Petra's stomach let out a fairly loud growl.

Levi raised an eyebrow at her, the sound dispelling any faith he may have had in her previous statement.

* * *

They had discovered an entire fire pit Petra had hauled up to the gym, which was small and metal, and sat about a foot above the ground. Levi and Hanji assumed that she must have swiped it from a local home improvement store, knowing she could use it for cooking and warmth as the nights grew cooler.

Petra had even managed to collect a bit of firewood, which Levi determined would last them through the night. He could always send Hanji or Farlan out to get more if they started running low on wood.

Petra informed Levi that there were fruit and vegetables in her backpack, still sitting where Isabel had left it the day before by a window. Hanji offered to make a soup out for all of them to share, the others not use to having such fresh ingredients.

Petra had slept nearly the entire day, and made an obvious effort to stay awake at least until after dinner. Again, Levi had assisted her in sitting up, in order to help her eat a banana that he had peeled while they waited for Hanji to start preparing the food. He broke the fruit into tiny pieces as she fed herself with her good arm, taking them out of his hand.

Hanji watched the exchange as she began boiling the vegetables, smiling like a mad woman knowing that Levi could have simply leaned Petra against the wall for support, instead of letting her use him.

At some point, Isabel had stirred in her sleep, and left to go relieve herself. Petra had joined her, but only with the aid of Hanji, leaving Levi to finish the soup. Farlan had returned later that afternoon, having told the rest of their friends that they were all alright, as well as what had transpired while they were all gone. He even brought more medicine and gauze for Petra, which she deeply appreciated.

"There's running water here, if you guys wanna take a shower or something. It's probably gonna be cold as hell though," Petra announced to them after they had all finished their meal, sitting around the warmth of the fire pit, not caring if they were inside a building.

They all looked at her like she had grown a second head.

"I'm serious," Petra told them. "The showers in the gym are connected directly to the city water pumps. Honestly, I was shocked when I had discovered it too. Guess no one thought to shut down the water treatment plants in the area when everything happened two years ago," she told them. "There's no power in the gym though, so it'll be freezing, but it isn't bad if you take a quick rinse. I've even got some soap."

"You have running water?" Farlan asked in disbelief.

"Clean running water?" Hanji questioned dramatically.

Levi could accomplish little more than staring at her.

"Well I wouldn't drink it or anything, but it's safe enough to wash with. I've been using it for over six months now. I'm not sure if the men's showers have any, I never used them, but the women's showers work fine. You guys can all take one if you take turns," Petra told them, wanting nothing more than to go back to sleep. Her shoulder was killing her, and she still had a bit of a fever, which didn't help the headache that was currently throbbing in her temples.

"Yahoo! An actual shower!" exclaimed Isabel, perking up immediately, and Petra wished she had that kind of energy.

"You sure?" Farlan asked, still not believing what he was hearing.

"Uh…yeah," Petra laughed, glad that she had made their day.

"We can help you take one too, nee-chan!" offered Isabel.

"Nee-chan?" Petra asked, confused by the sudden nickname.

"Because you're so nice all the time!" Isabel explained, "Just like a big sister!"

"Seriously though, we don't mind, unless you're not comfortable with the idea," Hanji told her gently.

Not wanting to spoil the mood, Petra agreed to it, thanking Isabel and Hanji. She told the guys they could take their showers first, as the three girls would probably take a bit longer, especially with Petra being injured and all.

They found clean towels in the locker rooms of the gym, and all were washed within the hour, now smelling of fruity, soapy fragrances.

Petra had offered Hanji and Isabel a fresh change of clothes, but the girls had packed a spare change in their packs - the guys as well - much to Petra's relief as she doubted she owned anything that would fit Hanji, who was much taller than her.

Hanji had helped Petra shower and clean what she was too weak or too sore to reach herself, while Isabel complained how freezing the water was. Hanji cleaned and re-bandaged Petra's wound, and helped her into a fresh pair of underwear - apart from her bra as the bandages made the article unnecessary - a dark pair of charcoal sweats, and a loose long sleeved black shirt.

Not much later, Petra was asleep again, having only stayed up not three hours before passing out again. This time, however, she was surrounded by people she knew that she could trust.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: Okay, so I added a few things to chapters 2 and 3, as there had been a few careless mistakes on my part when I was first fleshing out this AU. Thank you SO much** ** _TigerHeart20_** **for pointing them out to me, your review was extremely helpful, and very much appreciated! ^^**

 **I own nothing!**

 **Enjoy, my fellow ~** ** _Dreamers!_**

* * *

Levi was the first one to wake the next day. It was before dawn, and the first thing he did in his conscious moments was look around the room, making sure everyone was accounted for. It was a habit, one that could not be broken so easily.

Levi had been jumped before in his sleep, several times in fact.

One time had been by Titans, who had slipped into his apartment unnoticed.

He had been recovering from a knife fight from the night before, and had downed an entire bottle of Scotch he had stolen on one of his smuggling jobs outside of the city, in order to dull some of the pain. The feeble amount of alcohol he consumed hadn't been nearly enough to get Levi drunk, but gave him some relief and helped him ease into a deep sleep.

That deep sleep had gotten him within reaching distance of three Titans, which he had to take out on his own, as there had been no one there with him to watch his back.

He hasn't had a drop of alcohol since then.

The second time had been by people, way back before the world was plunged even further into hell by the epidemic, when he had only just started living on his own.

Levi had been sleeping in a damp alleyway, laying on a flattened stack of cardboard boxes, and trying to keep warm enough so that he might see another morning. Four men that he had gone to high school with had grabbed him by his hair, throwing him face first into a deep puddle of water on the side of the road.

They had attempted to drown him.

One of the punks had made fun of Levi for his shorter stature, and earned himself a jaw broken in several different places, along with some missing teeth.

The fight had not been on school grounds, but in a park after sunset, so there were no witnesses, and the kid was too terrified of what Levi would surely do to him if he ever ratted him out.

The guy had been too scared of Levi to so much as look at him the wrong way in the crowded halls of their high school, even with plenty of witnesses and teachers present to break up the fight. However, the second the bastard had heard that Levi was living on the streets, he suddenly had the balls to challenge him, but only with some help, to cowardly to pick a fight on his own.

After both instances, Levi had quickly become a light sleeper.

He looked around him now, and make sure everyone was where they should be. Farlan was asleep across from where he sat, slumped against a wall with a blanket covering his body. Hanji and Isabel were cuddled up together in a sleeping bag, despite the warmth the fire pit provided, though the coals still burning had begun to smolder, requiring more firewood.

Petra was nowhere in sight.

Levi stood up quickly, yet quietly, so as not to wake the others. His ice grey eyes scanned the gym, coming to rest on the small room where Petra had stored all of her food, weapons, ammo, clothing, and medicine. The door was slightly ajar.

Silently but swiftly, Levi crossed the length of the gym, and strode up to the opened door.

Readying his knife in case it who he found was not Petra, Levi peered into the room.

Thankfully, what he had found had not been a Titan, or even a burglar.

Inside, Petra was sitting in a chair, and had unwrapped her bandages, her back bare of any articles of clothing. Her skin was pale, and her ribs visible. It was obvious to anyone that her body had known hunger, though Levi had to admit that he'd seen much worse. She still had a bit of muscle on her.

She was wincing, her body doubling over in pain as she disinfected her wound with alcohol, which she had poured onto a cloth. By the way her body appeared to tremble, she was either crying, or shivering violently, as the frigid autumn air hit her skin.

"Oi, what the hell are you doing up already?" Levi asked from behind her, causing her to let out a little squeak, startled by his sudden appearance. "You should be resting."

Levi watched as she furiously tried to compose herself, struggling to cover herself with her arms, reaching for her shirt on the floor. Wordlessly, he walked around her, and bent to pick up her dark shirt, and handed it to Petra so that she could cover her chest, not bothering to try and sneak a peek at her breasts. He pulled up a chair and sat down in front of her.

"Don't worry, I won't look," he told her as he grabbed a fresh roll of gauze, noticing the tears in the corners of her eyes, threatening to spill onto her face, which was beat red. "You came in here so that you could change your dressing, right?"

Petra nodded once, wincing again as Levi disinfected her wound, not convinced she had cleaned it thoroughly enough herself.

"I didn't want to wake Hanji or Isabel," she admitted, her voice shaking a little. "Besides, I've rested enough. I need to go water the plants in the greenhouse. If they die, I'll have nothing to eat but whatever expired food I happen to find around town."

"You think you're in any condition to go off on your own?" Levi reprimanded as he began to carefully wrap her shoulder in gauze.

Petra did her best to help him out, lifting her arms slightly so that he could maneuver around her upper chest, somehow managing to keep hold of her shirt and keep herself covered.

She felt cooler, he thought, no longer running a fever, and he wondered if the shower the night before had lowered her temperature, at least for the time being. Levi knew things would go much faster if she would just drop the shirt and let him get to her collarbone, but refrained, letting her have the peace of mind that he would not see her naked torso.

Once he had tied off Petra's bandages, Levi got behind her and helped her pull on her shirt, before returning to stand in front of her.

"Thank you," Petra told him, panting a little from the pain all of the movement had triggered. He only grunted in response.

Both of them were quiet for a moment, neither knowing what to say next, until finally, Levi broke the silence.

"How long have you been on your own?" he asked her.

"…About six months now," Petra answered him, leaning heavily on the back of her chair for support.

"This isn't the type of world a person can go it solo anymore, kid," Levi stated plainly, getting straight to the point. "What happened to your last group?" he asked, knowing she had to have been with some other people before her second group.

"We were separated when Trost fell. We said we were gonna meet up in district Rose, but I never found them. We were together for a year and a half. The family I was with before that only made it two weeks. And you don't look much older than me, so stop calling me kid," she told him, annoyed he had yet to call her by her name. "How old are you anyway?"

"Twenty eight," Levi answered boredly. "You?"

Petra knew he was probably older than her, but not _that_ much older. She gestured to a pamphlet behind him, which turned out to be a calendar. The dates from the year prior had been scratched out, the corrections in day and number written over the incorrect, outdated digits.

"Today should be November eleventh. I'll be nineteen December sixth," she informed him, flipping through the calendar absentmindedly. Petra saw the dates of her friends' birthdays, sad she would not be celebrating another with them.

Closing the calendar, she tossed it back to Levi, who returned it to its place on the wall behind him.

"Where did you learn to fight like that?" Levi asked her, referring to the other day when she had defended Isabel from the bandits.

"I took a few self-defense classes way back when. Okay, so like, two and a half years ago. My parents were never really home, so at first it was just something to do. Being home alone all the time made me sort of paranoid," she admitted.

"What about free running?" Levi inquired. Surely there was no class for that.

"Two of the guys in my last group taught me. The third guy, was just sort of there for the comic relief, but he was huge. The two girls were in gymnastics, and helped me become more flexible and work on my balance. In return, I taught them all how to kick box," Petra explained.

Levi watched as her mood darkened, turning more serious.

"We were all orphans, either from the epidemic, or from before that, so we stuck together, like a big family. I..never had any brothers or sisters, so the kids were like family to me. We lost a lot of people in our group. Mostly the younger kids, either because they got sick or starved. The rest of us trained to get stronger, so that we wouldn't lose anyone else."

"…Is that why you went off on your own?" Levi guessed after a moment, processing everything she had just said. "Because you're afraid of losing people."

Petra nodded, her eyes dead.

Levi stood up, looking down at Petra, still sitting in the chair.

"…I may not have known your friends, or your family," he admitted. "But I do know one thing: that they would have wanted you to live, Petra," Levi told her, finally calling her by her name. "You spending the rest of what are sure to be your last days alone is not how any of them would've wanted you to go out."

He allowed her a few moments to process what he had just said. Petra's eyes were no longer dead, but burned with a sparkling fire, as she brushed the tears off of her face with the sleeve of her shirt. Nodding in agreement with him, Petra's looked down, as she studied her feet, not knowing what else to say.

It was then that Levi had noticed that Petra had pulled on a pair of boots, though they were still unlaced. Kneeling before her, Levi tugged off her shoes, freeing her feet. Ignoring her weak protests, he stood back up, slipped one arm under her knees, and the other behind her back.

Levi lifted Petra up like a man would a bride, carried her out of the supply room, and returned her to her mountain of comforters that acted as her bed. He laid her back down, covering her with blankets.

"It's not even dawn yet, go back to sleep," he ordered her. "We'll wake you when breakfast is ready."

Petra nodded, suddenly feeling very sleepy again, wanting to hurry and escape the pain in her arm, if only for a few hours. Levi brought her a few pain pills, and some water to wash them down. He had told her that the others should be waking up soon, and that he was going to go get some more firewood.

But when he saw how fearful Petra looked when he had announced that he was leaving, Levi sat down beside her, promising to stay until she fell asleep.

She was out within minutes.

* * *

Levi returned an hour later, after filling a tarp with fallen tree branches he had broken apart in a local park. Farlan and Hanji were already awake, while Isabel and Petra continued to sleep. Hanji was trying to scrounge up some breakfast, and Farlan was looking intently at a sheet of paper,

"What's that?" Levi asked the man as he set the firewood down, leaving the revival of the dwindling coals of fire to Hanji.

"A map of the town," Farlan replied. "Found it in Petra's supply room. She's circled a few areas on the map: the fire station, this place, and this other building just off of Main Street."

Levi came up beside the man, so that he could see the map. "That building's near where we found Isabel and Petra during the fire fight."

"Think it's the greenhouse Petra mentioned?" Hanji asked.

"We can ask Petra when she wakes up," Farlan told them, their eyes traveling over to the still sleeping girls.

"I doubt that'll be anytime soon," remarked Levi, remembering how weak she had been earlier that morning, how light she had felt in his arms.

"Isabel might recognize the building if she saw it again," Hanji offered. "One of us can go with her later and collect more food."

"Go where?" asked the voice of Isabel, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes with one hand. "To the greenhouse?"

"We're getting low on food again," Levi told them. "I caught Petra trying to sneak off this morning. She said the plants need watering or something."

"She what?" Hanji said, astonished. "Petra's in no condition to be moving around on her own!"

"I told her as much," muttered Levi.

"I can take Isabel to try and hunt down the greenhouse," Farlan offered. "We can stock up on food and take care of the plants, since Petra obviously can't."

Levi nodded, before uttering his next words.

"How do you guys feel about her joining us?" Levi asked seemingly out of nowhere, taking the four of them by surprise.

"Really aniki?!" exclaimed Isabel, already hyped about the idea.

"Do I ever joke?" stated the shorter thug bluntly.

"Well, I'm okay with it," Farlan stated. "She seems pretty cool to me."

"Hanji?" Levi asked, wanting her opinion as well, but the crazy way the brunette looked at him said it all. She was absolutely thrilled with the idea, and began ranting on how Petra could help her with her inventions.

The decision was unanimous. Petra would soon become the newest edition to the Corps gang, regardless of whatever answer she gave them.

Hanji snuck a peek at Levi, noting the way his eyes held a hint of joy in them, instead of their usual malice.

In the other room, pretending to sleep, Petra's mind was racing. These guys wanted her to join their gang?! It was almost too much to believe.

She looked up at the picture of her parents on the ceiling above her, and thought about all of her friends in her last group. When Petra imagined what all of them would tell her to do, the answer she came up with all amounted to the same thing.

Finding her resolve, Petra made her decision: she would join their gang.

Not only for the protection, but also so she could start to live again. Petra wanted to laugh again, have someone there to watch her back if ever she got herself into a sticky situation, something these people had already done for her, when they had shot the bandits to save her.

Relaxing, Petra fell back into what would be a deep, peaceful sleep, free of nightmares, knowing that her new friends would be there for her when she woke up.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: Yay! One of my favorite authors, Jilnachaugen, had finally returned from her month long vacation, and is back to writing! For those of you who are reading this and are in want of some juicy Levi x Petra moments, I highly recommend checking her stories out!**

 **I own nothing of AOT/SNK except my own ideas!**

 **Enjoy, ~Dreamers!**

* * *

It was late afternoon by the time Petra finally woke up.

Annoyed that she had slept so long, Petra looked around the gym, surprise to see that she was alone, and assumed that the others were out collecting firewood or food.

As if to further annoy her, Petra felt a sharp pain in her stomach, which seemed to be in knots. These particular cramps, however, were not the pangs of hunger. Rolling her eyes, Petra cursed, throwing her head back in discomfort

Though it caused her a great deal amount of pain to do so, Petra forced her body up into a sitting position, finding it difficult using only one arm. Reaching over to her backpack, thankful Hanji had placed it close by to where she had been sleeping, Petra retrieved a fresh pair of underwear, and fished around in a pocket containing her more feminine products.

Glad that she had chosen to raid a new apartment block last week, Petra had been blessed enough to find entire boxes of pads and tampons, the cotton products a rarity in the current state of the world. Stuffing the items in her shirt, she stood up on shaky legs, praying they wouldn't give out on her, and used the nearest wall for support.

* * *

As she was exiting the bathroom, again eternally grateful that her building's propane tanks blessed her with running water, Petra returned to the gym, practically doubling over in pain.

" _Ow_ ," she whined, wishing she had a hot compress to press against her stomach, the next best remedy she could think of apart from pain killers, a luxury she could not afford to indulge on any more than she already had been over the past few days.

"Why the hell are you up?" demanded the voice of Levi as he entered the room, more firewood in tow. Setting the wood down heavily by the fire pit, he made his way over to her, hooking an arm around her waist to help support her weight.

"Bathroom," was all the answer Petra gave him. He noticed the way she was blushing, how she clutched at her abdomen in pain, and was suddenly aware of her predicament. "Where is everyone else?" she asked, not wanting to press the matter at hand, and welcoming the distraction.

"Farlan and Isabel left to go and track down your greenhouse, to get more food and take care of the plants for you," Levi informed her, helping her back into her bed of blankets, where she leaned up against the wall. "Hanji said she was gonna search for more supplies in town. We're low on pills and gauze again."

"Sorry," Petra apologized, then blushed again when she remembered him telling her she apologized too much. "Do we have any fruit left?" she asked, feeling like there were butterflies in her stomach, and assumed she was just nervous, it being the first time the two of them had ever really been alone.

"Just some blueberries and a couple of strawberries," he said, tossing her a small zip lock bag containing said fruits. "Go ahead and finish them. Farlan and Isabel should be back with more soon," Levi paused, noticing how she still clutched at her stomach in pain. "Think you can eat?"

Petra nodded, blushing again, and focusing on the bag of fruit in her lap.

Allowing her the chance to compose herself, Levi turned his attention to reviving the fire, throwing brush and dead branches into the coals, blowing them into flame once again. Once he was satisfied with his work, Levi spoke again.

"I need to talk to you," he told her, getting her full attention. She looked up at him, swallowing a blueberry, expecting this conversation.

"Yes," Petra said with a sigh, already knowing what he was going to say. "I'll join your group."

"You already knew?" Levi asked her, narrowing his eyes in confusion.

"I overheard you guys talking this morning, but I was like, half asleep, and too tired to say anything. I think I was kind of freaking out," Petra admitted honestly, trying to look him in the eyes, and ignore how uneasy his presence made her.

"So you've had some time to think it over," Levi concluded, sitting beside her while he waited for the others to return. Petra nodded.

"You were right…about what you said yesterday," Petra said slowly, the rolling a berry around in her hand as she chose her words carefully. "My friends and family wouldn't want me to live like this."

Levi regarded her for a moment, taking in her defeated expression.

"Isabel mentioned that you guys were some sort of gang when I met her. Is…that really true? Like, do you guys have tattoos and stuff?" she asked him curiously, mentally kicking herself for saying the 'like' so much. It was a crutch word, one Petra used when she was nervous, or didn't know what else to say.

"Yes to both," Levi answered her, pulling down the neck of his shirt to show Petra his tattoo.

It was a blue and white wing. They were overlapping one another in a graceful, yet powerful way. It was located on the left side of his collarbone.

Petra took a second to study the tattoo, blushing as he revealed some of his muscled chest. It was located exactly where Petra had been shot.

"This is the symbol of the Corps gang. If you're serious about joining us, you'll get one too," Levi told her, straightening out his shirt after a moment.

"In the same place?" Petra asked weakly, her hand flying up to hold her shoulder, not crazy about getting a tattoo on scarred tissue, especially since her would had yet to even heal.

"You can get yours on the other side," Levi allowed, noticing her understandable hesitation. Petra thanked him, grateful to him for making an exception for her.

Despite the reassurance, he noted how she still clutched at her shoulder.

"Are you in any pain?" he asked her.

Petra nodded. "I've never been shot before. To say it sucks is an understatement," she told him, hating how lousy she felt.

This, Levi knew with certainty.

"The first week is always awful, and you'll still be feeling like shit for a while after that, but the pain is at least tolerable by week two," Levi gave Petra a once over. "Considering your pain tolerance, you may not feel any better until week three"

Levi knew full well the agony a simple piece of lead could inflict.

"Have you ever been shot before?" Petra asked him curiously, as he sounded so knowledgeable about the subject. She wanted the reassurance of someone who has been through the misery she has. To tell her that she would be alright.

He nodded solemnly.

"More times than I care to count," he muttered darkly, coming closer to her. He asked Petra if he could check her bandages.

"Go ahead," she permitted, her energy fading quickly. Petra wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep, but not until everyone had returned safely.

Petra's good arm released her shoulder. She let it rest in her lap, and out of his way. Levi gently helped Petra tug her shirt collar down some, so that he could see her shoulder.

He had been meaning to redress her wound earlier that day, but wanted to wait until Hanji returned, feeling Petra would have been more comfortable with a woman, instead of him.

Levi was pleased to see that Petra's wound was not bleeding as heavily as it had been over the last two days, but there were still a few small patches of blood leaking through the bandages.

Hanji had done a sloppy job on Petra's stitches, he realized, and Levi made a mental note to have the idiot redo them when she returned. He chalked it up as her wanting to hurry and finish stitching Petra up after she got the bullet out, and leave the poor girl alone. But that was still no excuse.

"Stupid Four Eyes," Levi muttered, cursing the woman for her unusually sloppy handiwork.

"Is it bad?" Petra asked fearfully, taking in his angry expression.

"You're bleeding through the bandages again," was all Levi told her, not wanting to scare Petra any more than she already was by telling the girl that her stitches needed to be redone. "I waited too long to change your dressing. Sorry, I wanted to wait for Hanji to do it, but there's no telling when she'll be back."

"Don't worry about it," Petra told him, still reeling from the man's brief apology. "Beggars can't be choosers, right? If it needs to be done, then go ahead. I won't hold it against you for…seeing me," she told him, knowing it was stupid to be embarrassed over something so trivial.

"Damn straight, kid," Levi told her, a hint of a smile tugging his mouth into a smirk. It was obvious to him she was trying to act tough, and Levi commended the girl for her bravery.

Standing up, he walked over to the supply room, returning with a first aid kit. After helping Petra remove her shirt, Levi carefully unwrapped her bandages, freeing her arm, while she covered her chest with her shirt.

He fumbled around in the first aid kit for a few seconds, before producing a worn looking rag, and a small bottle of alcohol. He poured the alcohol onto the cloth, and gently dabbed away the blood leaking from her wound, sterilizing it once again.

A sudden cramp made Petra wince, and unintentionally lurch forward, her forehead colliding with his chest.

"Sorry," she panted, trying to get ahold of herself, but found it difficult to sit up. "Just my stomach. I'm fine," she lied, forcing herself to sit up straight, even though she wanted to curl up into a ball and die.

Okay, maybe not die, but still.

Levi studied her for a few seconds. Petra was sweating, despite the cold chill in the air, even though they were fairly close to the fire pit. Levi felt her forehead with his hand. When he failed to discover any fever, he was amazed cramping could really be the cause of so much pain.

He couldn't remember for the life of him if any of the women in his gang had ever been so immobilized by a period before, not that he ever bothered to keep up with such matters. Levi wondered briefly if Petra was faking it, but the sweat on her skin and the way she was panting told him otherwise.

"Alright, I'm done cleaning it now. Let's hurry and get you bandages up, before the others-"

And like clockwork, Hanji, Farlan, and Isabel all waltzed into the room.

From their perspective, all they could see was Levi's back…and then Petra hastily sitting up.

"Aniki, what are you doing to nee-chan?!" Isabel exclaimed with wide eyes - which Hanji covered - when she saw Petra was shirtless.

"Don't look Isabel!" Hanji warned her dramatically. "You're still too young to view such adult things!"

"NO!" Petra quickly defended, blushing crimson, and Levi thought she resembled a tomato. "It's not like that! He was just helping me-"

"-Out of your clothes?" Hanji teased, earning her an icy glare from Levi, one that would make most men tremble in fear. "Well, don't let us disturb you. Come on guys, let's leave these two alone now and let them finish up." Hanji grabbed Isabel and Farlan, tugging them towards the door. "And do try not to be too loud, will you? You'll attract Titans."

"Wait, what are they finishing? And why would they be loud?" Isabel asked Hanji innocently.

Petra was scarlet, steam practically coming out of her ears, which were as red as her face.

"Farlan," Levi commanded, relying on the only person left with reason, hoping the man had the sense to quiet Hanji's banter.

Farlan nodded, though even he couldn't keep from smiling immaturely, and pulled the squealing girls out of the gym, and into the supply room so that Petra could have some privacy.

* * *

"Tsk," was all Levi said as he turned his attention back to dressing Petra's wound. Hanji could re-stitch it tomorrow.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to embarrass you like that!" Petra blurted in a rush, apologizing once more, the habit acting as icing on the cake.

"Ignore them," Levi told her, quickening his wrapping when he saw her shiver from lack of a shirt, as the frigid autumn air hit her fair skin.

"Ow!" Petra winced, when he began to treat her more roughly. This time, it was Levi who muttered an apology, before he redid her dressing more loosely.

Moments later, after Petra had composed herself and was fully clothed again, she thought of something.

"So what made you decide to let me join your gang?" she asked curiously. "Was it pity? Or do you make a habit of collecting weirdos off the streets?" Petra asked teasingly as she watched him put away the first aid kit.

Levi hesitated a moment, as if choosing his words carefully. When he finally turned to face Petra again, he looked her directly in the eyes, sending a chill down her spine, not of fear, but…she actually didn't know what to call it.

Excitement?

"Any person willing to take a bullet for some kid they don't even know is either entirely selfless, or stupid. I peg you as somewhere in between," he told her.

"Hey!" Petra complained, her cramps long forgotten.

"If you're willing to go that far for a stranger, then you'd never betray a friend. You're loyal," Levi reasoned.

Petra didn't know what to say. Did he actually just…compliment her?

"Once you're fit to travel, we'll take you back into the city, and meet the rest of the gang," Levi continued, changing the subject. "There, you'll get your tattoo."

"But I can't just leave this place!" Petra protested, pressing a hand to her stomach as her cramps returned. "If I leave then who will tend to the greenhouse while I'm gone?"

"Your place is about two miles from the walled district of Stohess, and our base is located about three miles into the city. Our members can take turns coming out here while you're with us, but only if they're willing to stay for at least a few days. We can't have our people doing ten miles to and from the city every day. It'd be too hard on them," Levi explained to her.

Petra thought this over for a moment.

"You mean I can come back?" she asked him, suddenly hopeful.

"As long as you bring people I approve of with you," Levi looked away from her, closing his eyes and crossing his arms over his chest. "Besides, you've got a pretty good set up here. Running water, a nearby source of food, and a good location. It'd be beyond stupid to pass that up."

"So you're pretty much taking ownership of me and my stuff?" Petra deadpanned.

Levi only smirked.

"Rest up, kid. I'll get the others to start making dinner," he told her, intentionally calling Petra by her name, as he knew that it would annoy her.

Petra glared at the back of his head as he walked away.


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note: 'Sup ~Dreamers! So a bit of sadness, as we have decided not to keep out new puppy T^T I really miss him, but I know it's for the best. We don't have a yard or the time to actually train him and spend time with him, so we all decided to give him away to a home that does. Don't worry, he won't be going to a pound or anything like that! He went back into the foster dog program thingy, where he was boarded, and now waiting for someone else to eventually adopt him. (Like, three families were on the waiting list for him, so I'm sure at least one of them can give him a good home ^^)**

 **This chapter was a little hard to write at times, but also kind of fun. I've already got some ideas for the next two chapters~ ;) (Don't worry Beyond the Horizon readers, I haven't forgotten about you, and I'll be updating it in a few more days, so look forward to it!)**

 **Okay, one last thing! (I think) I wanna give a little shout out to,** ** _tunesandmelody_** **, a friend of mine who is also a Fanfiction writer starting out! She's 14 so her writing style is a bit different from mine, but she likes that Austin Mahone dude and wrote a fic for him (yeah, I wasn't too thrilled when I heard that either, but her fic is surprisingly good, despite its shortness). She's also seriously thinking about writing a Black Butler fic soon (since I got her addicted to it :D ) so look out for it!**

 **Now (finally) I own nothing but my own sh*t and ideas, not the characters of AOT/SNK.**

 **Enjoy ~** ** _Dreamers_** **!**

* * *

The following morning, after Petra had woken up and everyone was sitting around the fire pit eating breakfast, Levi had informed Farlan, Hanji, and Isabel about Petra's decision to join them.

All of them had been as shocked as they had been ecstatic, as it wasn't often that the Corps gang recruited new members, let alone that they were able to earn their leader's trust so easily.

Farlan had welcomed her, ruffling Petra's messy orange hair, which Hanji had pulled into a loose bun for her. Isabel had thrown herself on Petra - temporarily forgetting about her injury and causing Petra to wince painfully - to give her a huge bear hug. Hanji had done everything in her power not to scream out in celebration, and alert every Titan within the city how happy she was about the idea.

"So when is her first test?" Isabel asked, not wanting Petra to receive her tattoo before she had.

"Yeah Levi, it's not like Petra will be able to go with us on any jobs for a while," Farlan remarked.

"She'll get it when we return to Stohess," Levi told them. "Isabel as well."

"Wow, two new members at once! That's a first!" exclaimed Hanji, still reeling from the Levi's previous statement.

"Wait, what test?" Petra asked in confusion, her eyebrows coming together. "And I thought Isabel already had a tattoo?"

"In the Corps gang, you have to pass a test before you can officially become a member, to prove yourself before you receive your tattoo. Either by helping us collect food and supplies around town or beyond the walls in other districts, by helping us take down rival gangs, or even helping us complete a paid job," Farlan explained.

"Isabel is new to the gang, too. She was on her first scouting mission when we were attacked by another gang while we were sneaking out of the city," Hanji told Petra. "We were separated, and then she ran into you. The rest is history."

"So she was earning her tattoo, before you guys were interrupted," Petra concluded.

"But aniki! I didn't do what you said!" Isabel exclaimed, also confused. "When that gang was shooting at us, I didn't wait for you to come and get me! I ran away!"

"Yeah, and I'm still pissed that you didn't listen to me back there. But you've proven yourself to me since then," Levi answered her, his tone sounding bored, and slightly annoyed.

"But how?" Isabel questioned, still confused.

"First," Levi held up a finger, "you chose to team up with Petra after she saved you from a pack of Titans, knowing that running with her would be better than going it alone, but you were smart enough to realize that you couldn't possibly take out the bandits and escape from the Titans on your own. Now had she been anyone else, you could have been killed."

Levi held up a second finger.

"Second, you told us where Petra and you were camping out after her condition took a turn for the worst, and even after she specifically told you not to."

"Threatened her actually," Petra corrected.

Levi checked, then continued.

"Isabel, your quick thinking quite possibly saved her life. Yes, your mission was a failure, but your judgement was sound, and when you're in a situation where shit's hitting the fan, sometimes instinct is all you can rely on."

Isabel beamed at him, removing herself from Petra so that she could launch herself at Levi, who held her back at arm's length by her head.

Levi looked over at Petra, their eyes meeting.

Petra had already earned her tattoo as well. When she had taken a bullet for Isabel, and protected her form the bandits. When she had given them a place to stay, and watched over Isabel the first night they met. When she had shared all she owned with them, her home, her food, and her supplies.

Petra blushed, and looked away from him, not able to hold his serious gaze for very long, as the action made her stomach do little flip flops, and her heart flutter.

* * *

It was on the seventh day that Petra started to feel a little better.

Hanji had redone her stitches, and Petra was no longer sleeping the majority of the day, her injury pulling her into mini comas over the past week so that her body could heal. Petra still needed a bit of help getting around, but she was substantially more mobile than she had been, though the pain from her wound was ever present.

Her period was over in about four days, which for her was happily brief. It was almost as if her body had decided she couldn't spare the extra blood loss. Hanji had warmed up towels by the fire for Petra during the first two days to use as heating pads, which did wonders on her cramps.

Levi and Farlan said nothing about the gesture, and pretended not to notice, which Petra deeply appreciated.

In return for the girls' help, Petra split up what feminine hygiene products she had left over with Hanji and Isabel.

It was only fair, she thought, especially for all that they have done for her this week.

* * *

A few days later, Levi was out collecting firewood. The girls were showering, and Farlan had left about a half hour earlier to check on the plants in the greenhouse across town.

Levi had just finished tying up the tarp, now filled with broken branches and small chunks of log for them to burn, when he saw it.

A small, lean black cat, with striking blue eyes. It sat not twenty feet away from where he stood, watching him intently, studying him.

At first, Levi had thought about killing it for food, but doubted he could get any of the girls to eat it, knowing Isabel had a soft spot for animals.

When he had first met the girl weeks ago, she had saved a small bird with a broken wing, shielding it from some neighborhood bullies throwing rocks at the tiny creature with her body. Levi had taken her in, seeing how malnourished she was, and admiring her strong desire to protect the innocent.

Farlan had wrapped the bird's wing, and the three of them had watched it fly off into the sky once it was finally healed.

Slowly, Levi kneeled down before the tiny animal, extending one of his hands, beckoning it. He would never lower himself enough to coo and pucker at it, but some part of him still wanted to touch the small cat.

The kitten stared at his outstretched hand for a long moment, and just when Levi was about to give up and stand back up, the cat rose from where it sat on the ground, and walked up to him. Levi held still at the cat tentatively smelled his hand, catching his scent and trying to determine if the man could be trusted, before eventually deciding to give him an affectionate nudge.

After another moment, Levi pet it back. He knew that such a loving cat must have belonged to someone at one point in time, as strays typically weren't very friendly, and would scurry off at the first sight of a human.

Levi wished he had brought Isabel along with him, knowing that she would have thoroughly enjoyed the encounter. He made a mental note to take her the next time he went out to collect firewood, in the off chance he ran into the cat again.

After a few minutes, the cat perked up its ears, and turned its head, as if honing in on a sound that he could not hear. It ran off ahead of him, and Levi took this as a sign to leave as well, knowing the cat could have heard any number of dangers, like more bandits, or even Titans.

Standing up, Levi grabbed the sack of firewood, planning to be long gone before such dangers ever found him.

* * *

Once he had returned to the gym, Levi saw that Petra was awake, eating lunch with Hanji and Isabel, and laughing with the two girls like they were old friends.

He took in the color in her face and her animated expression, as well as her new attire. She had let down her long auburn hair, revealing its true length, as it fell nearly to her elbows in gentle waves, cascading around her face. Hanji or Isabel must have brushed it for her, he thought, doubting she could tame it herself with the use of only one arm.

Petra now wore a deep navy shirt, and a slim fitting coat over that, which was also dark. He couldn't see her pants, as they were hidden under a blanket. At first glance, Levi thought her attire a bit too thin for the cool weather, but assumed Petra was only dressing this light knowing she would be inside, and sitting by a fire. Surely she must own another, thicker coat.

But all things considered, Petra looked much better, more alert, and aware of her surroundings. Perhaps she would be up and around in two weeks, instead of three.

When they noticed Levi's presence, all turned to look at him, calling him over. Petra, who had been smiling and laughing also, became silent, not comfortable being so laid back around the thug, but she offered him a small smile all the same.

Setting down the tarp of firewood, Levi stepped out of his boots, and joined them. Hanji scooped him up a bowl of whatever soup she had concocted from the ingredients Farlan must have brought her from the greenhouse, and he stared down at it, wondering if it was edible while he waited for the food to cool down enough to eat.

"Where is Farlan?" Levi asked, looking up from his steaming soup.

"Just left to go take a shower," Hanji answered him. "He got back about ten minutes before you."

He nodded, glad everyone was back safe, then turned to Petra.

"Feeling any better, kid?" he asked her, being sure not to call her by name.

"A lot better," she told him, ignoring his antics. "Another day or two and I'll be on my feet again. Not one hundred percent, but good to go. Then all of you can take me back to the city."

"I'll be the judge of that," Levi told her simply, remembering how weak she had been over the past week and a half. "And unless the hundreds of Titans clear out of town, we may be stuck here for a few more days."

"Oh, don't worry about them, I can get us out of here," Petra assured him. "I know this town inside and out, whether we're on the ground or on the rooftops. Even if we have to resort to free running, there are plenty of routes we can take that even Isabel can manage."

"Really?" Isabel asked excitedly, not confident in her ability to launch herself from building to building like Petra. "Because last time you had to throw me over every big jump."

"Well I was kind of in a hurry," Petra admitted, blushing a little. "Any longer and I would've probably fainted from the blood loss."

"So you threw Isabel from building to building?! With that injury?!" Hanji asked in disbelief.

"Well I wouldn't say I threw her, I just kind of gave her a boost," Petra corrected her.

Levi remembered how Isabel had stepped into Petra's hands as the first bandit to reach the rooftop had taken aim, and how Petra had tossed Isabel over her shoulder, and over to the next building. Had they really traveled across town like that? Even an ordinary person would have had trouble completing such a task, and Levi thought that Petra must have a great deal of stamina to pull off such a feat, and in the condition that she was in.

Levi gave Petra another once over. Sure, she was skinny, but still fairly muscular, though it was hard to tell through her baggy clothes. However, Levi knew better than anyone not to judge a book by its cover. He had taken out dozens of men, some often two or three times his size, and Levi had seen that Petra was capable of doing the same.

At some point in the conversation, Farlan had returned from his icy shower, clean, and in want of the warmth he knew the fire pit would provide. When he heard what everyone was talking about, he too wondered how Petra had managed to make it across town with Isabel. But he didn't doubt her, as he had seen Levi and others in his gang survive certain death time and time again.

Farlan nodded to Levi as he stepped into view, earning him a nod as well.

"There was a cat outside," Farlan stated out of the blue, catching everyone off guard at the sudden change in topic. "It was clawing at the windows while I was in the shower."

"No way! We're on the fifth floor!" Isabel exclaimed in disbelief, trying hard not to get her hopes up. The only cats Isabel had ever seen in the streets had always run away long before she was ever able to get close.

"Yeah," Farlan answered. "There's even a ledge out there. Maybe the cat jumped over from another building."

"-Was it a black cat?" Levi and Petra suddenly asked in unison, and the two only looked at each other, surprised.

"You've seen it?" Levi asked her. Petra nodded, blushing at their coincidental outburst.

"Well, the window was all fogged up, so I didn't see it very clearly, but it looked pretty dark," Farlan offered, smiling at the duo with raised eyebrows.

"Have you?" Petra asked Levi curiously.

"Does it have blue eyes?" Levi asked her in return.

"Yeah. That's Sammy," Petra smiled a little.

"You named it?" Hanji asked, noting how both Levi and Petra weren't looking away from one another as they spoke.

"I found him on the streets a few months ago. He had a broken leg, but I took care of him until it healed. He still comes to visit me sometimes though," Petra explained. "Did he come up to you?" Levi nodded.

"Aww! I wanna see it!" Isabel whined.

"So, why Sammy?" Hanji inquired, curious.

"Well…Sammy is really just a nickname. His full name is…okay, it's really stupid, so don't laugh," Petra stammered, flushing crimson.

"Oh come on, it can't be that weird!" Farlan encouraged.

"Promise you guys won't laugh?" Petra pleaded.

"We have to hear the name first," Levi told her simply, his face blank despite his obvious amusement.

Petra hesitated a moment before speaking.

"Okay…Sammy is short for…" Petra whispered the name inaudibly.

"Speak up, kid," Levi demanded, becoming annoyed she was drawing things out.

"It's short for Samurai!" Petra blurted.

The room was silent for a moment, as everyone in it stared at her with wide eyes.

Eventually though, Hanji erupted into peals of laughter, with tears forming in the corners of her eyes.

"Hey!" Isabel defended. "I think it's cute!"

"Samurai?" Farlan repeated in disbelief, repressing a chuckle. "What on earth inspired that?"

"He clawed the hell out of me when I tried to pick him up for the first time," Petra told them, looking down in embarrassment. "But only because he was scared! Once he figured out that I meant him no harm, he warmed up to me."

"What are you gonna do with it when you leave?" Levi inquired, changing the subject. "You know you won't be able to bring him with us into the city."

Petra was quiet a moment.

"I think he'll be okay. I do try to feed him whenever I can, but he only comes around every couple of weeks, so he must be hunting on his own. I'll miss him, yeah, but I'm sure he'll be alright without me. Titans only go after humans anyway," Petra answered honestly.

When Farlan noticed how sad Petra had become after mentioning she would soon be leaving her cat, he tried to cheer her up a little.

"Yeah, I wouldn't worry about it," he remarked. "Cats are pretty self-sufficient."

"Besides, it's not like he'll be alone," Hanji offered.

"Yeah! Aniki said that we'd always have someone over here to watch over your place and water your plants and stuff while you're gone! That way, Samurai won't have to be alone!" Isabel encouraged her, and Petra smiled at all of them in thanks. Even if they had been lying to her, it was the thought that counts, and Petra was glad they had cared enough about her to attempt to make her feel better.

"So," Petra began, changing the subject as well. "When are we leaving?" She had asked the entire room, but Petra had clearly directed the question at Levi, as he seemed to be the one calling the shots.

"A few more days, when I know you're capable of staying awake for more than a few hours and that we won't have to carry your ass back into the city," Levi told her, deciding that he had eaten enough of what Hanji had called 'soup'.


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note: 'Sup ~ _Dreamers_! So I've had a bit of a brain blast (Jimmy Neutron? anyone? well it use to be in Nickelodean back in the day, for those of you out there who didn't grow up with that channel) and when I started typing up the plot for one new chapter, I couldn't find a good stopping point, and pretty soon one chapter flowed into to, which then became three. Go figure. *in head: _I wish Beyond the Horizon, my other story, would flow this_ easily -_-'* I guess I'll just post this one for now. The other two could be up as early as tomorrow, and as late as the day after that. You're welcome!**

 **I still don't and probably never will own something as amazing as AOT/SNK, though it would be crazy awesome if I did ('cuz I'd be rolling in it!) so all rights reserved, yada yada.**

 **Enjoy ~Dreamers! And don't forget to review!**

* * *

It was at the end of the second week when Levi finally declared that they would finally return to the city, convinced that Petra could make the journey without passing out, as long as they took their time. The weather was getting considerably colder, and Levi knew that the arrival of the season's first snowfall was not far away. Truthfully, he had wanted to give Petra another couple of days to recover, but didn't want to make the journey should it start to snow, even if a member of their gangs wasn't injured.

Levi had told everyone over breakfast that they would be leaving for the city the next day, and to make preparations to set out at dawn. No one complained, a small part of them secretly happy to be able to return home to their friends, but Levi could clearly see everyone's reluctance to return to the district, and all the enemy gangs that surely awaited them there.

Petra tried to appear optimistic, but it was obvious she was nervous, and she had good reason to be.

A new place to call home, new people she would have to learn to trust, and an entirely new lifestyle. Now Petra would have even more people to be wary of, before they could earn her trust, and earn theirs as well. Now she would not be alone to fend for herself, but be around others who would - hopefully - have her back when all hell breaks loose, as long as she was willing to do the same for them in return. Now she would return to the life of odd jobs, stealing, and smuggling, anything necessary to get by, even if it meant taking the life of another, so that she might sustain the life of an ally.

Petra knew she wouldn't hesitate to kill if it was to save a friend when the time came. The fact that Isabel was still with them was proof of that. Still, she didn't want to think about all of the lives she was sure to take upon joining up with the Corps gang, if their name and reputation were anything to go by.

* * *

The day went by uneventfully, each member making their own preparations to return to the city.

Farlan made one final trip to the greenhouse to be sure the plants would be set for a few days, and to stock up on a little extra food before they left. He returned around noon, in order to join Hanji on a supply run, as they had again been running low on gauze and alcohol.

Petra had recommended a block of apartments she had yet to check out, warning them that the Titan population in that particular area of the city was particularly dense, hence the reason Petra had always avoided the area. She pulled out her map of the city from the supply room, and drew them a route they could easily free run, to keep them off of the streets below.

When Levi had heard of the operation, he too decided to join Farlan and Hanji, deciding the task may prove to be too difficult for only two people. Petra and Isabel would remain at the gym, readying the weapons and ammo already in their possession.

Petra grabbed her black backpack, and began to pack her things. She rolled up two pairs of jeans, and three pairs of black leggings, as well as a few long sleeved shirts, some underwear, and some sports bras. She packed an extra pairs of boots, should anything happen to her first pair, and some socks, as well as some body spray, deodorant, a toothbrush, and toothpaste she had found in during one of her supply raids in town. Petra also made sure to pack her more feminine hygiene products, not knowing when she would be returning to her home at the gym.

Next she loaded all of the handguns in her possession with ammo, checking and double checking that the safety was switched on each of them, before laying them out in a line on the table in the supply room, so that the others could choose from them later. Petra did the same with her hunting knives after polishing each one, as well as her bow and arrows.

She turned her attention to her bag, lifting it up off the table with one arm, testing its weight. While still mostly empty, Petra knew that she needed to be careful not to overstuff it, doubting she could handle much extra weight until she recovered a little more. However, she also didn't want to make it look as if she wasn't doing her part, and pulling her share of the work.

Reluctantly, she continued packing necessities, including the first aid kit she had found at the gym, now devoid of bandages, thanks to her.

After another hour of organizing, Petra had to sit down, feeling slightly winded, having not been on her feet for so long in the two weeks she had been bedridden. If just standing made her this tired, then would she really be able to travel? Petra could only hope.

Once satisfied with their preparations, Petra decided to take a shower, hoping that if she fell that Isabel would be enough to catch her. Luckily, Petra was able to remain upright, hardly needing Isabel to do little more than wash what she could not reach herself, which only included her back, a region Petra could barely clean even without a broken collarbone.

Once both of the girls were scrubbed and clean, Isabel still not use to the frigid water, they decided to eat a little something for lunch, warming up by the dwindling fire, which Isabel threw another log on, while they waited for the others to return. But after another hour of waiting, Petra grew increasingly worried, though Isabel assured her that there was nothing to worry about, because Levi was with them. At first, Petra had secretly doubted the girl's faith in her comrades, knowing that anything could happen in the hell of this new world, but then realized some.

Petra had never seen either of them fight. Sure, the older members seemed to have damn good aim, a skill that had already saved her once before from the bandits, but still. In a world with so much uncertainty, having great aim is not always enough. But as Petra thought about Levi's steely eyes and his air of confidence and power, something in her started to believe in Isabel's words.

* * *

It was just as Petra and Isabel were cleaning up after their meal that the others finally returned. Hanji and Farlan sported a few bruises and were slightly out of breath, while Levi looked unperturbed.

"What happened?" Petra asked concernedly, standing up, while Isabel ran up to them to welcome them back.

"…Free running," Hanji panted dramatically, "…takes a lot out of you."

"Yeah, and I thought I was pretty fit," Farlan breathed, though not as hard as Hanji, but probably just because of her dramatization.

"You didn't run into any Titans, did you?" Petra asked, ignoring Levi's gaze, which was trained on her.

"No, but Farlan and I fell a couple of times," Hanji admitted.

"You two are just clumsy," Levi stated plainly, as if the supply run had been little more than a work out for him, if that.

"You're just not human," Hanji complained, chugging a bottle of water. Once her thirst had been quenched, she dropped her pack in the supply room, and sat down by the fire to thaw out her limbs, which had long gone numb from the cold outside.

"But seriously, the route you mapped out for us took us directly where we wanted to go, and kept us safe from the Titans on the streets," Farlan thanked Petra, smiling gratefully while he and Levi also dumped their packs, before joining the others by the fire as well.

"Yeah, even if it was next to impossible to do," Hanji continued.

"Actually, I tried mapping you out the easiest route I could think of," Petra told Hanji, fighting back a laugh at the woman's antics. "There are plenty of shorter routes you could have taken, but a lot of them have steeper jumps and more leaping and climbing."

"You mentioned that, but really, it gets worse?" Farlan asked her, remembering Petra mention that the route would be the simplest before they had left.

"Oh god yeah," Petra admitted. "But once you get the hang of it it's a walk in the park, trust me. Even I had some trouble when I first started out."

"Did you get everything ready?" Levi asked her suddenly, changing the subject to more important matters as he began to unpack their bags of the supplies they had found in town, not bothering to sit by the fire just yet.

Petra nodded, turning serious, and informed him of everything they had accomplished that day. Levi listened intently, nodding when he was satisfied with their contributions. Petra took in his calm appearance, and thought that he must be a lot more in shape than the others, not even looking winded.

She watched as he unzipped his pack, pulling out something dark and fluffy, before chucking it at her head.

"Hey!" she protested, startled, pulling the material off of her face. When she noticed the thing was a jacket, which was a deep brown, she looked up at him, confused.

"For the winter," Levi answered her questioning expression.

"But I already have a coat," Petra told him, still confused.

"Yours is too thin, and this looks like it'll fit you fine," he told her plainly. "Just take it. It shouldn't be too difficult for you to run in."

Blushing slightly, Petra unfolded the jacket, before reluctantly throwing it over the one she already wore, and zipping it up.

The inside was furry and soft, and the sleeves stopped a little down her hands, covering them a bit, but weren't too long that they would get in the way. The jacket had a hood, and many pockets, both inside it, and out. In the larger pockets at each of her sides, where her hands were supposed to go, Petra found a matching pair of gloves. She tried them on too, glad that they were fingerless, which would make shooting a gun and pulling back an arrow that much easier.

Falling just a few inches past her hips, the coat fit her perfectly, as Levi said it would, and didn't appear to hinder her movements at all.

"Thank you," Petra said after another moment of speculation, blushing uncomfortably when she noticed she was locked in steely glare, looking her over. When his gaze met hers again, he nodded once, seemingly pleased with her appearance, before returning his attention to unpacking the rest of the days spoils from his bag. He divided everything up evenly among each individual in the group, being sure each of them had rope, a lighter should they need to make a sudden fire, a first aid kit, food, as well as ample weapons and ammo.

He left the bow and arrows for Petra, having seen that she use them well.

Even Isabel was allowed to carry a small hand gun, but not after receiving a harsh lecture from Levi about the huge responsibility required to handle such a deadly item. Petra watched as he showed her how to switch the safety on and off, as well as how to reload it, and she listened as he told Isabel to always shoot for keeps, and that once she pulls the trigger, that she needs to be prepared for the repercussions.

Once satisfied that he had scared the poor girl half to death, he switched the safety back on, and handed her the weapon, holding it with the chamber pointing out to the side.

Isabel gulped audibly, before nodding, eying the gun warily, and shakily took it by the handle.

The entire exchange greatly amused Petra, and as she watched them, Levi started to remind her of a concerned dad, or 'big bro,' as Isabel liked to call him. Now she knew why.


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note" Aaaaaaaand here's the next chapter, not 24 hours ahead of the last one. I'm on a roll here. And WOO! Just a little over 700 views for this story! Haza! (Do people even still say that? Well f*** it, 'cuz I do!)**

 **I own nothing!**

 **-Please review! Enjoy the story ~** ** _Dreamers_** **, as well as my shortest Author's Note EVER!**

* * *

Once the others had all showered and eaten, everyone finished packing for the night, so that they would all be ready to set out first thing in the morning. They turned in early, hoping to get a good night's rest before returning to the city.

Unfortunately for Petra, sleep would not come so easily, her mind too full of thoughts of what tomorrow might bring her way. She was usually a tosser, sleeping every which way and flipping about fitfully. However, now that she was too sore to really move around, Petra struggled to find a comfortable resting position.

After another hour of sleeplessness, Petra threw the covers off of her, and rose from where she lay on the floor. Being sure not to wake the others, she crept over to the fire pit, and placed a thick log atop the coals to bring the flames back to life, and warm the room once again.

When she was still unable to calm her nerves, Petra sought out her jacket, pulling it over her, a task difficult with the full use of only one arm, her hurt shoulder making the other hard to lift without wincing in pain. Stepping into a leathery pair of boots, not bothering to lace them up, Petra crossed the length of the gym, and trudged up the stairs until she reached the door to the roof.

Preparing to abandon the warmth the fire pit and the indoors provided against the wind and weather, Petra pushed through the heavy metal doors, and stepped into the world outside, completely unaware that a pair of eyes had followed her every movement.

* * *

She had been looking up at the stars when Levi had joined her on the roof, jumping a little when she heard the creaking doors whine behind her.

"Can't sleep?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

"…No," she admitted. "Sorry. You know, if I woke you up," Petra offered, then kicked herself for apologizing yet again.

"Nervous about tomorrow?" he asked her, brushing off her last comment.

Petra nodded, not really knowing what to say.

"The last time I was in Stohess, it was on a job," she began, noticing for the first time that her breath was visible in the cold air. "I was smuggling food into the city from my greenhouse to trade for supplies in town. When the people I was working with found out, they beat me half to death, demanding I tell them where I got the fresh food. I told them I would take them to it, a lie, of course, and lead them to an area of the city I could free run as soon as I got away from them. There were two men, and a woman in their group…"

Levi noted Petra was finding it difficult to speak, and she turned away from him.

"The woman…had been pregnant. I may tell myself that if I had known beforehand…that I wouldn't have…killed them."

Petra was crying now, try as she may to hide it from him, and Levi took a moment to process everything she had just said. Taking a few steps forward before speaking, he came up behind her, mere inches away from her back, and chose his next words carefully.

"It was either you or them, Petra," he told her slowly, being sure to say her name to better get her attention. "No one ever said surviving was the righteous thing to do. The fact that you feel the way you do now means you're not heartless. You're not just some bitch who took their lives because they were there, or because they had something you wanted. You're human, and alive today because of the choice you made months ago. Never regret that."

Petra turned back around to look up at him, again rendered speechless, but this time for different reasons. Wiping her tears away, she met his steely gaze with renewed determination.

"I won't regret living. Ever," Petra stated, more to herself than to him. "Thank you."

Levi regarded her for a moment, before speaking again.

"It's freezing, so don't stay out too long, kid," he told her, calling her by nickname again.

She promised not to be long, and watched his figure retreat back into the building, descending the stairs one level to where they occupied the gym. Once he was out of sight, Petra took a few moments to calm herself, before she too decided it was time to go back inside.

Shrugging off her jacket, Petra returned to the warmth of the blankets, and this time, she was finally able to get some sleep.

* * *

In the morning, everyone ate quickly, changing from their comfier night clothes into attire more suitable for the weather. They donned thick boots and either jeans or leggings, depending on their gender, with long sleeved shirts and thick coats to protect them from the cold.

Petra was finally able to remove her bandages, as her wound had almost fully closed. In their place was a thick, folded sheet of white gauze, taped to her shoulder, on the off chance she did end up straining herself on their trek back to the city, and reopened her wound.

Being sure they had everything they needed, everyone tucked their weapons inside their belts and jackets, heavily arming themselves with everything they could carry. Farlan had put out the fire, while Petra busied herself taking one final look around the apartment, saying goodbye to the safety it had provided her while she tried to remember if there was anything she may have been forgetting.

When she had thought of something, she excused herself, and re-entered the supply room. She opened a small drawer underneath the wooden table, a table that had only moments ago displayed deadly weapons, and retrieved two small items. A small flash drive attached to a lanyard, and her cell, wrapped in a wire of black headphones, the kind with fluffy earbuds. She also grabbed the charger to her cell.

While the items may seem useless in the world of today, where increasingly fewer and fewer had access to luxuries such as electricity, Petra couldn't bring herself to leave them behind. Before going dead, with no hope of reviving it anytime in the near future, Petra had listened to her favorite songs until she fell asleep.

It helped her drown out the gurgling, raspy sound of Titans growling outside her window, gunfire booming in the night, as well as the roar of even the loudest thunder.

Ignoring the music, Petra also had pictures of her friends and family on both devices. She promised herself to print such pictures out at her earliest convenience, should the opportunity ever arise. Even a little piece of the life that once was would be of great comfort to her, to remind her that she was not always alone, or that she had become a killer. She had been part of a family, a small one, but a family all the same.

Petra was not always the person she is now, whoever that person may be.

Satisfied, Petra exited the supply room, rejoining the others while she announced that she was ready to leave. It was as she was taking one final glance at her pictures that she felt a hand clamp down on her back, startling her.

"Take off your bag for a minute," Levi demanded.

"Uh…alright," Petra complied, shrugging it off. "Why?" she asked him, praying that he wouldn't search her bag, and discard any items he deemed unessential.

Items such as her flash drive, or her cell phone.

Luckily for her, that wasn't part of his agenda.

"I'll carry your pack for you," he told her, feeling that the weight of it, though not extreme, would surely slow her down. He unstrapped her bow and arrow holster from her bag, and handed them too her, after deciding they were light enough for her to bear, though he doubted she would be able to draw back the bow anytime soon.

"I can carry it myself," Petra protested, reaching for her backpack, which Levi had slung lazily over one shoulder, as if the thing weighed little to him, but her effort was halted by his deadly glare.

"I wouldn't bother," Farlan suggested knowingly.

"Yeah, no one ever outwits him, or can beat him in a fight," Hanji agreed.

"Hey! I almost did once!" Isabel complained.

"Sorry kiddo, but you weren't even close," Farlan told her, patting her on the head and ruffling her hair, much to her dismay.

Smiling at their antics, Petra dropped the matter, telling Levi she would take it from him if ever he was feeling tired or needed a break, though he denied such a thing would ever happen. Ignoring his arrogance, Petra strode up the door to the stairs, and stomped up them, locking it behind them, and leading everyone to the roof, so that they could free run, and hopefully avoid an encounter with the Titans littering the streets.

* * *

Petra had chosen one of her more frequent routes out of the city, with simple leaps and jumps the others could easily manage. They used the variety of planks and boards she had left out to help them across the wider gaps in buildings, ones not so easy to jump, where they had to file across, one by one.

Though still fairly tired from the little amount of sleep she had gotten the night before, Petra felt invigorated, now that she was more in her element. She did not show off in the least, but could clearly tell the others in her group were impressed with how she gracefully handled each maneuver, leaping from building to building, even Levi.

It was when they had reached the edge of the city, where the jumps had started to become full on sprints to make the leap, everyone had decided to take to the streets, leaving the safety of the rooftops. Apart from Levi, everyone was exhausted, not use to the extra physical labor, and the weather was not helping things, the cold burning everyone's lungs.

Petra, who did not protest with them after feeling a brief wave of dizziness from all the exertion, was suddenly very grateful to Levi for carrying her pack from her, struggling with her own weight, not that she weighed much.

Once they had reached the wall, Levi took the lead, as Petra was not as familiar with the area, as she typically used a different hole in the wall to enter the city.

Levi pulled back a few boards, and led everyone through the hole, as each of them filed in. Petra held up the rear, fighting to keep pace with the others. A few times Levi had offered her his hand to help pull her over an obstacle or make a jump, but each she had refused, not wanting to rely on anyone's strength but her own, which was fading fast.

When they had come in to contact with the first of what would be many citizens, Petra grew wary, biting the inner of her cheek until she tasted blood, hoping the pain would make her more alert should one of them make a move at her. Thankfully none of them did, though they eyed her just as she did them, some of the men looking at her lustfully, causing her to subconsciously shy towards Levi.

Levi noticed her tenseness, but said nothing, knowing she needed to break through her natural antisocial tendencies on her own if she was ever going to feel comfortable in this city.

After a while of watching her kill herself, Levi pulled her aside, telling the others not to wait up on them. None of them were really phased, chalking his actions up as typical Levi behavior, though Hanji did throw him a wink, smiling like an idiot, earning the brunette a glare, before he turned it on Petra, yanking her behind the others.

Petra let out a little squeak in protest, surprised by the sudden contact.

"We still have another two miles to go," Levi told her, before whispering a warning only she could hear. "If you don't let me help you, I'll have no choice but to have Farlan carry you."

She glared at him, but agreed to the condition, not wanting to waste energy she didn't have arguing with him.

* * *

After a short eternity of walking, the group had finally reached the headquarters of the Corps gang, which was a dark, four story building. At first glance, it looked less than inviting, but looked like a hotel in comparison to the streets outside.

Levi banged once on the door, hard, and loud enough for anyone inside to hear him.

"That you, Farlan?" a muffled voice asked through the door. It sounded like a boy, probably in his teens, Petra guessed.

"Hurry and let us in, Yeager," Levi demanded.

"J-Just a second!" the boy stammered quickly, before the sound of fumbling locks and what sounded like a metal chain. Within seconds, the door was open, revealing a boy about five foot seven, with tan skin, and blue eyes. He wore a loose brown shirt, revealing the familiar winged tattoo on the left side of his collarbone.

When he noticed Petra, he looked to Levi, who nodded in approval. Complying, the boy let everyone in, nodding at Petra in acknowledgment, locking the door behind them. She gave him a nod in return, trying her best to appear friendly, sensing that the boy was not hostile.

The first anything Petra saw upon entering was a staircase to her right, and a hallway to the left, which the others took. Seeing how all of them kicked off their shoes, she did as well, grateful for the warmth the building provided.

Following the crowd, Petra was led into a fairly large living room, where a fire roared in a large stone fireplace. However, it was not the fire that captured her attention, but the people sitting on the couches.

Some of them, she knew.


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Note: Sorry for the lateness of this chapter. I went back to college this week, so I've been pretty busy these past couple of days. But don't worry! I haven't forgotten you guys! To prove this, here's the next chapter! It's raw and hot off the press (of my fingers, that is, lol) so do ignore what are sure to be many typos. I'll go back and fix them whenever I can! Scouts honor!**

 **Haha, Scouts. See what I did there? Anyone?**

 **Okay, I'll shut up now. I own nothing!**

 **Enjoy** ** _~Dreamers_** **!**

* * *

Petra locked eyes with several of the people on the brown couch. Four to be precise, all of whom stood up when they saw her. Her breath caught in her throat, despite having been panting in exhaustion only seconds ago. She pushed past Farlan, Isabel, Hanji and even Levi - each of them confused at her sudden outburst - so that she might get a better look at them.

Before her were Historia, Ymir, Jean, Reiner, and even Jean. Each of them bore the same winged tattoo on the left side of their collarbones, peeking out of their shirts a little, and marking all of them as members of the Corps gang.

"PETRA?!" Historia finally cried, breaking the silence, and running over to embrace her, Ymir not far behind.

"Hey, you guys really shouldn't-" Farlan began, reaching a hand out in attempt to stop the girls from clobbering Petra, but was stopped by Hanji, who shook her head, while Isabel asked Levi what was going on.

"You…" Reiner began, not believing what he was seeing.

"You're really still alive?!" Jean exclaimed in disbelief as he walked over to join them.

"And kicking," Petra told them, wincing as the girls nearly crushed her, still unaware of her injury. Had she not been so happy to see them again, she probably would've screamed.

"You guys all know each other?" Levi demanded, hating the feeling of being in the dark and wanting answers

"She was in our group for a year and a half before we got separated during the fall of Trost," Ymir explained, regaining her composure a lot faster than Historia and Petra.

"Honestly, we never thought we'd ever see her again," Reiner admitted.

"Farlan stopped by and told us you guys found a new member, but we never would've guessed it was Petra," Jean told the room, now filled with even more Corps members, hearing the commotion.

Petra had been crying, hard, both in happiness and in agony. Eventually though, the pain in her shoulder began to subside. Replacing it was a warm, sticky feeling, enveloping her arm as a powerful wave dizziness came over her.

Everyone had been so busy celebrating that no one noticed how pale Petra had become, or how quiet, until she slumped over on Historia, unconscious.

* * *

"Petra?!" Historia exclaimed, nearly falling over thanks to the added weight.

"Petra what's wrong?!" Ymir asked her worriedly, others in the room doing the same, but none managing to get a response from the now sleeping girl.

Ymir pulled Petra off of Historia, and helped lay her on her back on the floor.

Levi pushed past them, everyone but Historia and Ymir backing up like the thug had just parted the Red Sea.

"Hanji!" he ordered, but the woman was already moving, throwing off her backpack and unzipping it, producing one of their first aid kits. While he waited for Hanji to get everything ready, Levi busied himself lifting Petra onto the sofa. He opened up her jacket, his eyes widening slightly when he saw her shoulder, though he maintained his composure.

"Oh no-she's bleeding!" Historia exclaimed as she noticed the deep red stain on Petra's shirt. She remembered when Farlan had returned to their base two weeks ago, saying Levi had found a new member but that she had been shot, and therefore too weak to travel right away. Historia had never even bothered to ask the girl's name, and Farlan had never mentioned it.

Who could have known it was Petra?

"Damn, I knew we shouldn't have let her free run without a better dressing, even with her stitches!" Hanji complained, kicking herself for deeming Petra healed enough to use a lighter dressing. "Oi, somebody bring me some gauze!"

"You idiots let her free run in that condition?!" Jean accused, knowing full well the kind of strain the activity caused on the body, having taught Petra himself with Marco.

"We only let her because she told us she could handle it!" Farlan defended. "We were trying to avoid Titans!"

"I brought some fresh gauze!" Eren announced, returning to the room after slipping away in the chaos to retrieve the item for Hanji.

"Thanks, Eren, bring it here," Hanji nodded in appreciation. "Alright girls, help me sit her up and remove her jacket. Boys, all of you, out!" she commanded.

Jean and Reiner had begun to protest, but a look from Levi quickly made them comply, knowing that the girls could handle it without them, now that there were more hands to help out. He even shoed some of the other girls out of the room, those who did not know Petra, leaving her with Hanji, Ymir, Historia, and after a moment's deliberation, even Isabel.

Levi knew the kid wouldn't stop pestering him until Petra woke up anyway, and she had proven that she could calmly wait at the girl's bedside, having done it for nearly two weeks now.

After taking one final glance at Petra, who was panting, Levi was the final one to leave the room, joining the other members outside, now waiting anxiously in the hallway.

* * *

Out in the hallway Jean and Reiner filled everyone in, telling the other members of the gang that Petra had once been in their group, before they were separated during the fall of district Trost. All of them had been orphaned by the Titans, and had banded together after moving to Trost, before it fell, trading off skills to one another, hoping to up their chances at survival.

Petra's story had matched up to the guys, not that Levi had ever doubted her, as she had been nothing but straight forward with them in the short time he had known her, yet another reason she had quickly earned his trust.

In exchange for their intel, Levi shared in full detail how they had come to meet Petra. He told them how she had been on her own, and some of the troubles she had dealt with in their absence, just trying to survive. He also filled them in on the time the four of them, Farlan, Hanji, Isabel, and himself had spent with Petra. He told them how she had found a stable source of food, however small, how she had established several basecamps throughout the outer wall, living in Titan country, being lucky enough to find a place with running water.

Jean and Reiner were in awe, wondering how frail little Petra, as they had called her, had done so well on her own. Hell, they still couldn't believe that she was really here in their hideout, or that she'd be getting her tattoo along with Isabel, marking her as one of them, as a full-fledged Corps member.

After what seemed like an eternity, which was probably all of half an hour or so, Hanji had exited the living room. She told everyone Petra would be alright, and that she would undoubtedly recover. Hanji said she disinfected and redressed her wound, and helped her into a fresh set of clothes with the aid of the girls, Historia, Ymir, and Isabel, who were still with her in the other room.

Everyone in the hall had let out a very audible sigh of relief, and Hanji noted how Levi's stature relax ever so slightly, an action she doubted any of the others had noticed, even himself.

Jean and Reiner asked Hanji if they could go see her. Hanji allowed this, so long as they keep it down, reminding them all that Petra needed to rest, but that she would be up by tomorrow.

With that, all of them had reentered the living room. When Petra continued to sleep, all of them had taken to eating their dinners in the living room, not wanting to leave her alone. At some point, the girls had gathered everyone's pillows and blankets from their rooms upstairs, and brought them down to everyone, the decision unanimous to spend the night watching over Petra.

Levi had muttered something under his breath, within earshot of Hanji and Farlan, about all of them acting like brats, and that only a few of them really needed to stay with the girl, and had disappeared upstairs.

Hoping to get some rest himself, and knowing Petra would be well looked after, Levi returned to his room, but only after making it clear to everyone to let him know when she woke up.

* * *

Petra woke with a start, just as a cold, wet rag was being draped over her forehead. Looking up, she saw the tan boy with blue eyes, the one that had let them all into the hideout.

What was his name again?

"Oh, sorry," he apologized when he saw her jump. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"It's alright. Um…," she fought to remember what Levi had called him earlier.

"It's Eren," he introduced helpfully, smiling down at her from where he sat in the chair beside her.

"Petra," she told him, not bothering to sit up. "But you probably already know that by now."

"Yeah, everyone was freaking out," he informed her, chuckling. "Who would've thought that you knew some of the people in our gang? And then when you passed out…"

"Everyone freaked out even more?" Petra guessed, picturing it all in her head.

"Pretty much," Eren answered.

"Where is everyone by the way?" Petra asked, half expected to be tackled any minute by her friends.

Eren nodded behind him, gesturing to the members strewn across the floor, sound asleep. It was dark, the fire burning on the other side of the room the only light source, but it was enough. Petra could make out the figures of the others sleeping around the room, each of them curled up in bundles of blankets, laying atop make shift beds, leaning against the walls, or against one another for warmth.

"Where's Levi?" Petra asked when she noticed the thug was missing.

"Upstairs in his room, I think. He actually told us to let him know when you woke up, but everyone else fell asleep, so…" Eren trailed off nervously, rubbing the back of his neck.

"It's okay, you can go," Petra assured him, knowing he had his orders. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Do you need anything?" he offered, standing up, but not wanting to leave until he was sure she's be okay.

"I'd love some pain meds, but I think I'll just take it easy for now," she told him, knowing full well pain killers were hard to find these days.

"You sure?" Eren asked again, hesitating.

"Yeah, if I really need something, I can always wake the others," she assured him.

Nodding, Eren left her. She listened as he walked out of the room, and trudged up the stairs, before his steps eventually faded. A few moments later, he returned with Levi, who walked right up to where she lay on the couch, dodging bodies as they crossed the room.

"Eren, get some rest," he ordered.

After saying a brief goodnight to Petra, the boy complied, grabbing a blanket, and joining the others on the floor, choosing to sleep in between a boy with blond hair, and the pretty Asian girl Petra remembered catching a glimpse of when she had arrived, before she passed out.

"You okay, kid?" Levi asked her, taking a seat in the chair Eren had vacated and snapping her attention back to him.

"Yeah, I guess I just pushed myself a little too hard, that's all. Sorry for the scare," Petra told him, again kicking herself mentally for apologizing to the man yet again. "I should be on my feet in the morning. Granted no one hugs me," she joked. "You can go back to sleep. I've got the others here if I need them," she added as an afterthought, hoping he hadn't been awake the entire night, like most of the others probably had.

Levi continued to stare at her, as if debating her offer, the gold of the firelight dancing in his dark eyes, which Petra noticed for the first time were grey.

Deciding, he leant back in the chair, kicking his feet up on the couch, his legs just a few inches shy of her own. He spoke only after he made himself comfortable.

"I'm not going anywhere, brat, so don't order me around,"

"I wasn't trying to-" she began, but Levi cut her off.

"Go back to sleep, kid," he told her, closing his eyes. "I'll go to sleep when you do."

"Fine," Petra huffed in defeat, annoyed a bit by his stubbornness, but grateful for the company all the same. Despite being in a room full of people, she felt so calmed by his presence, and she wasn't sure why.

Closing her eyes, Petra drifted off.

Once convinced she was completely asleep, Levi opened his eyes, finding her face. He found himself watching her for a few moments as she slept, before removing his feet from the couch, and leaning over her.

Carefully, so as not to wake her, Levi gently pulled Petra's blanket down to her waist, and tugged her new jacket open, revealing the white of the bandages around her shoulder. When he saw that she had not bled through them, he pulled her jacket closed, and recovered her torso with the blanket.

Satisfied she would be alright, at least until morning, Levi stood up, and silently returned to his room upstairs, unaware that Petra had actually feigned sleep during the entire ordeal, and was blushing furiously on the couch.


	13. Chapter 13

Petra was the first to wake up the next day, much to her delight, as this allowed her the opportunity to briefly step out of the hideout, and relieve herself, a task made even more unpleasant due to the frigid weather.

Petra found her boots by the front door, at the end on a neat line of shoes, which she assumed belonged to the other members. Pulling them on quietly, so as not to wake the people sleeping by the fire in the living room, Petra looked around for a coat, cursing mentally when she remembered how she had stained the one Levi had gotten for her with blood.

Not finding any of her own, she decided to just go without one, doubting anyone would happily lend her their jacket knowing she was about to take it to the 'bathroom' with her, and by 'bathroom,' she meant a random alley somewhere.

It had snowed a few inches while everyone had been sleeping, and had she not been so sore and so freezing, Petra might have marveled at the world around her. The once dirty streets and abandoned buildings made her feel like she was in a snow globe, one she may have enjoyed turning upside down during the holidays.

Shivering almost violently, Petra hastily retreated back to the warmth of the hideout, pulling off her boots, and returned them to their place in the line of shoes by the front door. Petra knew she should find another coat, but her stomach had other plans, threatening to wake the entire gang with its growls.

Holding herself for warmth, Petra stumbled around the halls, hoping to find the kitchen, and eventually something to eat. She turned a corner, where she bumped into something hard, the force of the collision nearly knocking her to the ground.

"~Ow!" she squeaked, falling backwards.

However, something had actually been someone, who caught her waist before she fell to the ground, steadying her.

Looking up, amber eyes met grey, as Petra came face to face with Levi.

"Oh! Sorry. I-I mean, excuse me," she stammered, kicking herself for apologizing to him once again in nervousness, even if this situation warranted it.

"What are you doing up already?" Levi demanded, ignoring her apology, knowing she hadn't bumped into him on purpose. Had it been anyone else, he may have told them to watch where they were going.

"Bathroom," Petra stated simply. "That and I'm a little-"

Her stomach growled audibly, very audibly, causing Levi to look down at her, raising his eyebrows a little.

"-hungry…" Petra finished lamely, blushing in embarrassment, the red in her face deepening when she realized Levi still had a hold of her waist.

"I'll get you something to eat," he told her, releasing his hold on her waist, having felt her stomach growl beneath his hand. "Go back to the living room."

"Thank you," Petra managed to say, brushing past him, and he watched her go, pleased to see she was no longer shaky on her feet.

Once she was back in the living room, Petra grabbed her blanket from the couch, and wrapped it around her. Pulling up the chair Eren and Levi had used the night before, she sat herself by the fire, hoping to warm herself up.

Moments later, when Levi had arrived with her food,

"Here," he said, offering her the bowl.

"Chicken soup?" Petra guessed, probably straight from the can, the noodles and yellowish broth familiar to her.

"Figured you'd want something warm," Levi told her simply.

Petra nodded, thanking him. It was a bit early for soup, but she doubted there had been many other options, and was grateful for the food all the same.

Levi leaned on the wall adjacent her, taking in her appearance. He thought Petra looked something akin to a burrito, the way she had wrapped herself in the thick blanket, which was actually more like a comforter.

"Are you cold?" he asked, though it was obvious that she was.

"A little," Petra admitted. "I found a pair of my boots this morning, by the front door, but I didn't see my coat. Did you guys throw it away?" she asked, hoping that they hadn't, but doubting they could ever get the blood stains out of it.

"Hanji said she'd try to clean it for you, but we may just have to get you another one," Levi informed her, watching as Petra quietly slurped at her soup, clearly trying to be polite, but finding the task difficult without a spoon. "How are you feeling?" he asked her.

"Better actually, but my shoulder is still pretty stiff," Petra answered honestly, finishing her soup. "So," she began, "when is Isabel getting her tattoo?"

"Probably sometime today, after everyone wakes up, and she knows you're not gonna die," Levi told her bluntly, causing Petra to smile a little. "Why?"

"I was just wondering, that's all. We promised to get them together," Petra told him, laughing a bit. "Think she's scared? You know, of getting the tattoo?"

"What about you? You don't seem all that fond of needles," Levi asked her in turn, remembering the look of fear in her eyes as Hanji had prepared to remove the bullet from Petra's shoulder, and when she had to be stitched up – twice, thanks to Hanji's crappy job the first time around.

"I'm not, but it can't be any worse than getting shot," Petra reasoned, embarrassed by her lame display of bravery. She probably looked like a coward to him now.

"Depending on who does it," Levi told her.

"What do you mean?" Petra asked wearily. Having never gotten a real tattoo before, Petra wasn't sure what to expect.

"We use to take our members to a tattoo artist across town. He was killed by one of the other gangs in town, caught in the middle of a shootout. He left all of his tools though, so we've sort of taught ourselves how to do it," Levi explained. "Mikasa, Eren, Hanji, and myself are the main people who do the tattoos for the gang, though I wouldn't call any of us artists."

"You too?" Petra asked, unable to contain her surprise, finding it hard to picture the thug with a tattoo gun in his hand, at first, before thinking the role may actually suit him a bit.

Levi nodded, before continuing. "Mikasa is pretty decent at it, but some of the members have complained she has a heavy hand, and goes in too deep with the needle. Eren is alright, but still a bit too hesitant, like he's always afraid he'll hurt the person he's tattooing, but his lines are straight enough. Hanji is probably the best out of any of us, but she's easily distracted. You'd be in the chair for hours," Levi explained, holding nothing back.

"What about you?" Petra asked him hesitantly, as he had conveniently left out any description of himself. "What have the others said about you?"

"That I'm too rough with them, like Mikasa, but only because I work faster, not because I have a heavy hand," he told her honestly. "But they'd also tell you that I've never screwed up any of their tattoos."

"Whose gonna do Isabel's?" Petra asked curiously.

"Probably me or Hanji, unless Eren or Mikasa want to take a crack at it, though I highly doubt Isabel will let them," he guessed, knowing Isabel wasn't as close to them as she was with him and Hanji.

Petra thought for a moment. She had felt Hanji's recklessness firsthand, back when she had to redo her stitches at the gym, after messing them up the first time. Eren seemed nice enough, but Levi's review of him made her hesitant. Petra knew nearly nothing of Mikasa, having never even spoken with her before, and didn't want someone with a heavy hand giving her what would be her first tattoo.

While he still greatly intimidated her at times, Petra had to admit that Levi seemed like her best option. However, if Isabel chose him, then Petra would have to choose one of the other three, as they would be getting their tattoos at the same time.

Petra debated getting her tattoo either before or after Isabel, that way she could get the artist she wanted, but opted against it, remembering the promise she had made to Isabel, and how the girl wanted to get it together with her.

Eren was her second choice, having gotten a good vibe from the few times they had spoken, which was enough for Petra.

"Do you have the tools?" Petra asked curiously, not how the task would be accomplished without access to electricity.

Levi nodded. We brought the guns and ink back here after the guy we use to go to bought the farm," Levi explained bluntly, his face darkening, and Petra wondered if he had been close to the man. "We have a small generator and some fuel here to power the tattoo guns."

Petra nodded, growing quiet.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure everything is as sterile as possible," Levi assured her, annoyed she seemed upset. "Just don't think about it. It'll be over with before you know it…if you don't choose Hanji."

* * *

Petra had just picked out a fresh set of clothes to change into when the others started waking up, most of them having overslept.

"Petra!" Historia had exclaimed when she saw her friend, waking nearly half of the hideout as she ran over to her, this time being careful not to glomp her like before.

"How are you feeling?" Ymir asked, now alert and aware, even after being in such deep a sleep only moments before.

"Yeah, I'm good now. Sorry for the scare," Petra told her, still hugging Historia, who was reluctant to let her friend go.

Across the room, other members of the Corps gang started to stir, and take in the scene before them, glad that Petra was alright. Isabel woke next, beaming when she saw that Petra was up and well, chatting it up with the other members, and her old friends.

Once everyone was awake and Petra had assured all in the room that she was truly feeling better, most of the members left to go scrounge themselves up some breakfast, while Hanji cleaned Petra's wound again, after telling them she had already eaten.

But just as Hanji was about to redress her shoulder, Petra stopped her.

"Actually, can you just tape it up with some gauze for now?" Petra asked the woman. "I need the other side of my collar bone to be easy to get too."

"Oh, sure, but why-" it was then that it dawned on her, as Hanji realized what Petra had meant. "You're getting your tattoo?!"

Petra nodded sheepishly.

"I promised Isabel we'd do it together, at the same time. I talked to Levi about it just this morning," Petra explained.

"Well congratulations!" Hanji exclaimed, giving Petra a harsh yet affectionate slap on the back, thankfully on her good side. "Do you know who you're gonna pick for your tattoo artist yet?" Hanji asked, her eyes almost begging Petra to choose her.

"I…haven't decided yet," Petra told her. "Maybe Levi? You know, unless Isabel picks him, then I'll just go with whoever."

Petra rolled her eyes as Hanji feigned mock hurt, before quickly teasing Petra for picking Levi - of all people - as her first choice, as most were deeply frightened of the short thug.

* * *

As the others finished eating, Corps members began to file back into the room, some bringing their meals with them. Seeing that their diet consisted mostly of dried fruits from bags, and a few rations granted to them by the soldiers in town, Petra was grateful to Levi for having spared what was probably one of the few descent cans of food they had, with her earlier that morning.

Now nearing lunch time, some in the gang discussed errands that they needed to run in town, places they needed to go. Levi assigned who would be going with what group and where in the city, ordering them all to be back before dark, announcing that two of their newest members had yet to go through initiation, and that everyone should be there when it happened.

Some of the members had congratulated Petra and Isabel, with wild, yet friendly grins on their faces, promising to be back in time to see them get inked.

Petra was as excited as she was nervous, butterflies in her stomach, and was thankful Levi had ordered her to stay at the hideout, and rest up for the day. The four story building, which had obviously been apartments, was large enough for everyone to get their own room, each groups sharing certain units.

Most of the apartments had two to three bedrooms, and Petra decided to room with Ymir and Historia. Isabel often slept wherever she pleased, but usually someone was there to carry her back to the girls units if she passed out elsewhere.

The rooms were amazing, each member claiming a given space by decorating a corner, or in some cases, and entire room, however they wanted. The girls told her that Levi didn't care how they decorated, as long as they kept the place clean.

In Isabel's room were an assortment of stuffed animals, one's Petra could imagine the girls seizing whenever she found them while out on missions, stuffing them in her pack and bringing them home with her.

In the room next to hers, Ymir and Historia had constructed a pair of bunk beds for themselves. Either that, or the wooden structures were already there to begin with, and Petra found herself wondering where their original owners - obviously children - were now, or if they were even still alive, and out there somewhere.

The third room in their shared apartment would belong to Petra, if she wanted it, unless she wanted to sleep with the girls, as her room had no fireplace to keep her warm. At least for the winter, everyone may end up camped out in the living room to keep warm, even the guys, just as they had the night before.

Petra took in the room, a familiar, almost desperate, artistic itch burning within her, wanting to create some art to breathe some life into the bare white walls that surrounded her. The girls had offered to let Petra see the guys' rooms, too, but she politely declined their offer, not wanting to snoop around while they were all out on errands.

The Corps gang had enough members to occupy an entire two floors, but all of them had decided to remain on the third floor. It was high enough they would be safe from Titans, should any break through the Wall protecting the city, and convenient keeping everyone within earshot, however annoying it could get at times.

They really were like one big family, fighting like siblings, but always there for one another.

Eventually, the girls also had to leave, and complete the tasks given to them by Levi, promising not to be long. After exchanging hugs, ones' gentle enough they didn't hurt Petra's shoulder, everyone left, leaving her alone in the building, and her thoughts.

Returning to the living room downstairs, where everyone had been camped out only hours earlier, Petra curled up by the fire, wrapping herself in the blanket she had used the night before.

She thought about getting her tattoo, and hoped she wouldn't make a fool of herself and cry like a little kid when it actually happened. She knew the pain would likely pale in comparison to getting shot, or pulling a bullet out of broken bone, but feared it all the same, not sure what to expect, having never gotten a tattoo before.

Again, Petra found herself reviewing her options, wondering who exactly she would chose to be her tattoo artist.


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's Note: ~Hey, _Dreamers_. *tired* So while I'm loving all of the hours my new part time job are giving me, they're working me almost full time. The only days off are my school days, and the other five I have seven to ten hour shifts! I may have to have a word with them and have them ease up on me a little. I barely have any time for my school work, or sleep, and even less time to write now. I know they're desperate for people right now, and while I'm loving the income, it's getting real old real fast.**

 **Well, in this world's economy, I suppose I should just shut up and deal with it, and be grateful I have a job and hours to complain about in the first place. I did only just start (my first day was September first), so perhaps I simply need to get used to it?**

 **Whatever the case, I'm glad I finally get to post a new chapter for you _~Dreamers_ , and I'm terribly sorry for the delay.**

 **I won nothing!**

 **Enjoy what is sure to be a chapter full of embarrassing typos, _~Dreamers_!**

* * *

Petra had not been left alone all day, as Levi doubted she could fight anyone off should their hideout come under attack, as the Corps gang had many enemies throughout the city of Stohess.

He had appointed Eren, Mikasa, and a blond boy named Armin to stay behind, to hold down the fort while everyone else had been gone all day, and the four of them took this time to get to know one another.

Eren and Armin dreamed of traveling the world, and Eren was thoroughly annoyed that mankind was now confined to the expanse of Walled districts, some so small they could barely even be called cities, the majority of their populations wiped clean of people, and now crawling with Titans.

Armin appeared almost feeble to Petra, but he seemed smarter than he let on, and she knew that having someone who could be counted on to use their head and think outside the box every now and then could always be useful.

It was obvious to Petra that Mikasa had a thing for Eren, the way she snuck glances at him under her thick lashes, and the slight, constant blush in her cheeks telling a tail of their own. Petra wondered briefly why someone as beautiful as Mikasa hadn't outright confessed to Eren already, sensing that the two were not together based on their casual body language.

What insecurities could someone as gorgeous as that possibly have?

But once Petra caught wind that they were basically siblings, though not by blood, Petra's heart went out to the girl, now knowing what was holding her back. Whatever they had, Eren and Mikasa were definitely close, and Petra assumed the girl was afraid of ruining that bond with the awkwardness of such a confession, should he fail to return her feelings, thinking of her only as a sister.

When asked about her hometown, an eventually her family, Petra's breath caught in her throat. She paused for a moment, and found it difficult to speak.

However, despite their reassurances that she didn't have to tell them if she didn't want to, Petra did anyway, knowing they had no doubt told her things they would have much rather forgotten, and it was only fair that she do the same.

All of them were amazed that she had come from a neighborhood as wealthy as Karanese, as each of them had grown up in the poorer half of Shiganshina. The three gave Petra their condolences when they learned her mother had been a doctor in the very hospital where the outbreak had begun, and knew as well as Petra the chances of her mother surviving were near impossible.

She told them how she never found her father, as he had likely not made it back into the country after the pandemic forced its borders to close indefinitely, and she prayed he was safe, out there somewhere.

Petra told them of her dream to become an artist, to sell her works in art shows, and make portraits for families a little cash on the side, even that she had never told her parents of her aspirations, fearing they would deem her talent as little more than a fleeting hobby. She regretted this now, knowing that a small argument would have been well worth the breath, as she would probably never see either of her parents again.

Eren confessed how he had always been a bit of a brat, arguing needlessly with his mother, and picking fights with any kid in town who so much as looked at him the wrong way, no matter what size they were. In the end, he and Mikasa were unable to save his mother, Carla, who had been injured and rendered unable to walk as she became surrounded by a pack of Titans. The two were ultimately forced to abandon her as their neighbor, Hannes, forcibly dragged them to safety.

They were lucky enough to run into Armin in town amiss the chaos, but their luck was short lived.

In the course of two years, while the government got it together, many died of famine, sickness, or violence, if you were fortunate enough to avoid the wrath of the Titans. Armin's uncle, along with many of the sick and elderly, were sent on an excursion beyond the Walls of their district, telling the public that the groups were only being moved to a district with greater access to the medical care they needed.

But this was only a strategic measure by the government to lessen the effects of famine on the remaining survivors in the interior.

Petra was surprised to learn the three had been in Trost district at the same time she had been, all those months ago, though she had left the city long before it had fallen, and had not realized the extent to which conditions had deteriorated before the district's abandonment.

She wondered if she had passed them in the streets, being none the wiser and not bothering to give the trio a second glance, once deeming that they weren't an immediate threat to her own life.

Petra felt her chest tighten painfully at her selfishness, feeling guilty for losing sight of a large portion of her humanity when she was alone and starving all those months ago, just struggling to survive.

"So how did you guys meet Levi?" Petra asked curiously after a few moments of conversation, wondering how the three had become members of the Corps gang.

"It was during the fall of Trost, six months ago," Amin began, his face grim. "Eren had been injured, and the three of us had been cornered by a huge pack of Titans, just outside of the Wall. We only had a few blades to fend them off."

"Honestly, I thought we were done for," Eren admitted, his face as dark as Armin's at the memory.

Mikasa said nothing, and she shied a little closer to Eren, burying her nose in the red scarf around her neck, her expression speaking volumes, and it was obvious to Petra that she was grateful to him for saving them, and taking them in, the same way Levi had taken her in.

"But just when we thought it was all over, there they were. The Corps gang," Eren continued. "Levi took out most of them, while the other members held the rest of the Titans back. Then…well, I'm still a little fuzzy on the details, but they just sort of took us in. They taught us all how to fight, and how to shoot, how to hunt for food, everything."

 _'_ _Sounds like him,'_ Petra thought, smiling a little to herself.

Petra was taken slightly aback, knowing that this was more or less the way she had been recruited by the Corps gang. But here they all were, safe and sound, with food in their stomachs, a roof over their head, and warm by the fire in the living room, thanks to the gang.

Thanks to Levi.

All of their experiences, though of varying levels of trauma, left each of them with a new outlook on life.

No matter what the future may hold, each silently swore to live for today, because you never knew which sunset would be your last, nor which of your friends could die tomorrow.

* * *

The other members returned after a few hours, the last group returning well before sunset, having rushed through their work and completed their given errands quickly, wanting to hurry back and see Isabel and Petra get their tattoos.

In the end, Isabel had not cared who exactly did her tattoo, all she knew was that she wanted to get it as soon as possible. Levi elected Eren for the task, knowing he needed the practice anyway, but that he was sure to do a good job.

When asked who she wanted to do her tattoo, Petra chose Levi, blushing when she answered a tad too quickly, and shouted his name a bit too loudly.

Levi knew that she was nervous, and honestly hadn't expected her to choose him over any of the others.

He guided the girls over to the couch in the living room on the bottom floor of the building, disappearing for a few moments with Eren as the two left to retrieve the necessary materials. Eren carted in a small, gas powered generator, while Levi got to work preparing the inks and tattoo guns, hooking them up to the generator.

"Everyone ready?" Levi asked the room as he pulled out a rag and some alcohol, though his question was directed to Eren, and the girls. More specifically, to Petra, who was so tense it looked like she was bracing herself to get hit by something.

Eren hummed in affirmation, as the two artists seated themselves in wooden chairs dragged into the room, and Isabel whined for them to get on with it already.

Petra said nothing, but managed a nod, eying the tattoo guns warily, just as she had eyed Hanji as she had prepared to remove the bullet from her shoulder three weeks ago. She pulled the neck of her shirt down helpfully, granting Levi access to her collarbone. Leaning over her, Levi disinfected her skin with alcohol. The coolness of the liquid made Petra flinch a little away from him, as she became increasingly jumpy, her fear starting to take over her.

Levi placed on hand on her forearm, careful to avoid her wound, in hopes of comforting her.

Despite the subtleness of the action, Petra smiled up at him, appreciating his gentleness. He produced an erasable marker, and skillfully etched the winged tattoo onto her skin to use as a guide for when he actually tattooed her.

After a minute of silence, or what seemed to be silence as Petra's hammering heartbeat managed to drown out all of the ruckus in the room, Levi capped the marker, and Eren did the same with Isabel.

"I'm starting now, kid," Levi warned her as he prepped the needle for the tattoo gun, but he looked her directly in the eyes as he told her this.

Petra nodded, and he nodded once in acknowledgment that she was ready.

His free hand again found her flesh, and he placed his fingers on the skin of her collarbone. Once he was satisfied with the placement of his drawing, he brought the tattoo gun up to her skin. He could feel Petra's muscles through her skin as they seized up, tense with fearful anticipation. Levi had fully expected her to pull away as soon as he began to drag the buzzing needle across her skin, but she didn't move an inch.

He glanced down at her, the chair he sat in just a bit higher than the couch where she did. Her eyes were shut tightly, and it was clear to him that Petra was clenching her teeth, and doing her best not to cry out. Levi doubted this compared to being shot, and assumed her mind was no doubt wandering, trying to escape reality in a desperate attempt to calm her nerves.

"Is it really that bad?" Levi asked, temporarily pulling the needle from her skin to wipe away the excess ink with a cool, wet rag, hoping to soothe her pain, if only for a moment.

"~No!" Petra squeaked unconvincingly. "Please just hurry and get this done."

Nodding again, Levi continued, making an attempt to be even gentler than he already was, this time deciding to work a little faster than before.

* * *

About twenty minutes later, both Isabel and Petra's tattoos were finished, and each proudly showed them off to their comrades, though Isabel was significantly more boastful than Petra.

The others had cheered and hollered wildly, excited the two new members were now official members of the Corps gang.

Once everyone had turned in for the night, apart from the people Levi assigned to keep watch for the night, Petra finally had a moment to herself. She lit a candle, and found herself staring into the mirror in the bathroom of the apartment she had decided to share with Ymir and Historia, out of use due to the lack of plumbing and electricity.

But Petra only needed the mirror.

Pulling the neck of her new shirt, having had to change due to the bullets she had sweat while getting her tattoo only hours ago, she peeled back the white, gauze bandage at her collarbone. An elegant set of overlapping wings greeted her, one a navy blue, the other as white as her gauze.

The individual feathers that made up the symbol were lined thinly in black, further defining the logo. Her skin was red and raised around the tattoo, and shiny due to the salve Levi had rubbed onto it. He had given her the tube, telling her to share it with Isabel, and to apply it a few times a day until the burning itch and redness finally subsided.

Petra applied more of this now, before replacing the bandage to her skin. Her hand lingered there for a while, as she thought of her parents, knowing that they were firmly against tattoos of any kind.

"I guess I'm a little overdue for a rebellious phase," she reminisced, smiling sadly to herself. Petra's thoughts then drifted to Levi.

He had been so gentle with her. Well, as gentle as one could be dragging a needle across someone's skin. He had been watchful, attentive to every hint she gave off, moving to other areas when the pain in one proved too much for her to bear all at once. She remembered his steely eyes, their stormy, blue-grey color that absolutely captivated her.

It was when she started to try and remember his smell that Petra drew the line, stopping herself abruptly in her tracks.

Just when had she fallen so hard for him?

She had only known Levi for all of about three weeks now, and despite the fact that she knew so little about him, and virtually nothing about his past apart from taking in some of the other members, Petra decided that she didn't much care.

Well, sure, she wanted to discover more about him as time went on, little by little, but as a person, Petra felt she already sort of…knew him. His mannerisms and his brash behavior, how he looked so protectively watchful when regarding any of the other members, and how gentle she knew he could be told Petra everything she needed to know about who he was as a person.

But would she have the courage to tell him? And when would be the right time, assuming she'd be able to stutter out a confession in the first place?

Surely the others would never let her hear the end of it, whether or not he returned her feelings.

Was this even love, though?

Having had only a few boyfriends in the past, and breaking up with them as soon as she found they only wanted one thing from her, Petra wasn't sure what to make of the pounding of her heart, as it danced in her chest, or the butterflies in her stomach.

He was a good eight years older than her, at least. If some twelve or thirteen year old confessed to her, Petra sincerely doubted she could ever return their feelings.

Would Levi feel the same way about her?

Would he see her as a young woman, or just a brat that didn't know any better about what she believed she wanted? He had called her a kid, and more than once before.

Petra remembered her parents, and that they had been about seven years apart. Was this really any different?

Then Petra reminded herself of the world they lived in now. Was it really alright to fall in love anymore? For all she knew, getting attached to someone could prove to be too much for her, should she loose them to illness, gang fire, or even something as unthinkable as a Titan? Would her confession make things awkward between them, just as Petra was finally starting to become more comfortable with Levi and the others?

But then Petra remembered again that in the Hell that was their present, it was better to just live for today, and to worry about tomorrow if and when it came, should she survive to see it.

Returning to her bed in the room she shared with Ymir and Historia, Petra tried to quiet her mind, and get some well needed sleep. She hadn't done much today, but the stresses weighing on her thoughts were enough to make anyone tired.


	15. Chapter 15

**Author's Note: Sup'** ** _~Dreamers_** **! Guess who just turned 20?! *me b*tchachos* I'm finally starting to get use to work a bit more, and my aunt and I are planning road trip up to New York in a few weeks ^^ I'm so excited, I got the okay from work and everything! We're gonna hit Savannah, Georgia and then Ashvile on the way up, and then I might try to see my Dad and some of my siblings in Connecticut while I'm at it! T^T I miss them, I haven't seen them all in almost two years now, so I hope everything works out!**

 **I've missed you all, ~** ** _Dreamers,_** **so please review!**

 **I own nothing!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

The next morning, Petra woke a bit later than the rest of the Corps members, and unintentionally slept in. Embarrassed, she jumped to her feet, praying that she was not the last one to wake up.

She rushed around the room she shared with Historia and Ymir, and hurriedly found her bag of clothes, donning a pair of dark sweat pants over grey leggings, thick, fluffy socks, a tank, long sleeved shirt, a jacket, and finally her shoes. As cold as it was, both within and without their hideout, Petra decided it best to dress in layers.

Running a brush though her hair, Petra tied it back, pulling her copper locks into a loose pony tail. Although her shoulder was still rather stiff and sore, Petra was grateful to finally able to lift her arms a bit, and to change on her own without the aid of others, reveling in her new found freedom.

When her thoughts strayed to the time Levi had dressed her wound back at the gym, Petra couldn't help but blush a little, and she was glad no one was around to see her lose her composure. She had been practically half naked, and again she was thankful to him for being such a gentleman. Plenty of other men could have easily snuck a peek at her, or taken advantage of her in her weakened state.

Putting such thoughts out of her mind, Petra took a moment to inspect her tattoo once again.

While still a bit red from its freshness, Levi had done a pretty good job. The wings adorning her collarbone were small, yet large enough to see from a distance and make out what it was. Each feather was small, and intricately lined in black ink, making the details of the blue and white wings more pronounced. The immediate area around the tattoo was noticeably swollen a bit, but didn't appear to be something she should be concerned with.

Satisfied that she looked at least halfway decent, Petra exited the apartment unit, and headed for the lobby downstairs.

* * *

She heard them before she saw them, and wondered how she had not earlier while she was still getting dressed upstairs.

Eren and Jean were arguing about something or another, and Petra deduced after watching them for a moment at the top of the stairs by the demeanor of everyone else in the room that their bickering, however hostile, was a common thing.

Levi had been reading, or attempting to read, a book from where he sat on the sofa, the very one she had first slept on after arriving at the Corps hideout. After a minute or so, his patience had thinned, and the leader of the gang snapped at the two brawling boys to 'shut the hell up.'

It wasn't until Petra laughed audibly at their banter that everyone present looked up at her, Levi included.

"Well look who finally decided to join us," drawled a man Petra believed was Auroro.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to oversleep like that," Petra told them honestly, descending the stairs as she caught Levi's gaze once again.

 _'_ _Damnit! Why do I keep apologizing for everything?!'_ Petra chastised herself mentally, remembering how Levi had remarked it was annoying.

"How are you feeling today?" Isabel asked her, attaching herself once again to Petra's side, and looking up at her.

"A lot better. My arm is still a bit sore, but it isn't throbbing like before. I still can't really lift it though," Petra admitted, demonstrating how she could only raise her wounded arm to a little less than eye level. Then she paused, looking around the room. "Is this everyone?"

"Yeah, in full force," answered Ymir, who had stood up from the opposite side of the couch where she had sat with Historia. "Every week or so, Levi orders all of us to take a day off from missions and jobs in town to train a bit. You know, keep everyone in shape, and show us a few new moves."

"Is that why you all look so pumped?" Petra guessed, taking in everyone's dark, tight-fitting clothes, as if they were gearing up for a fight.

"Yeah, because at the end Levi gives everyone a numbered rank. One meaning you're the best fighter, or shooter, or whatever. While the number you earn grants you plenty of bragging rights, the numbers aren't always set," Armin explained.

"Yeah, last week Eren beat Jean and earned the number two slate out of the guys, but the week before Jean earned the title," Reiner told her, smirking at their antics.

"It goes without saying, but so far no one has ever beaten Levi. None of us have ever been able to so much as hit him," bragged Auroro, shrugging dramatically.

"Does everyone have to participate?" Petra inquired, not needing to ask who held the number one slate.

"All of us trainees, as Levi calls us, yeah. The ones who have been in the gang longer, like Hanji, Farlan, Oluo, Eld, and Gunther, don't have to," Connie told her. "They still spar with one another to stay in shape, but only because the rest of us don't pose much of a challenge for them."

"Whoever gets the second slate of the gang for the week gets to challenge one of the more experienced fighters in the group, including Levi, and try to earn the number one slate," said Sasha through a mouthful of food, and suddenly Petra was starving.

"Can we talk more about this elaborate contest while I eat?" Petra asked sheepishly, not wanting to change the subject.

"Hanji, go show Petra where we keep our food rations," Levi commanded, looking up from his book, and returning his gaze onto Petra. "I won't make you participate this time around. Just watch for today," Levi told her, and for that Petra was immensely grateful.

While she was excited at the thought of sparing with another individual and honing her skills even further, Petra knew that she was in no shape to get into a physical fight with anyone just yet. Her shoulder was still very sore and stiff, and her body was no doubt out of practice, her once cat-like reflexes dulled from weeks of being out of action.

So today she would take it easy and watch. Petra would study everyone's different techniques and fighting styles, and maybe pick up a trick or two to use next time, when she eventually found herself in the ring.

Well, that was the plan at least.

* * *

When Petra had finished her breakfast, Levi led her and the rest of the Corps gang through a door, and down a long, winding set of stairs. The only light available in the descending hallway were of flashlights, and a few make shift torches the others had fastened to the walls.

Once in the basement, Petra took a moment to take in her surroundings, a habit she had quickly picked up for the sake of survival.

The basement had a high ceiling, cluing Petra in a little on just how far they had descended. The only windows were up high, a few slits of light filtering in through the thin rectangular openings near the ceiling, lining all four of the dirt and concrete walls around them. It was much colder than it was upstairs, but if they were really going to go all out like they said they would, then Petra thought the cold would be welcomed to cool their overworked bodies.

The floors were lined with a thick layer of navy blue and deep black mats, just as a gym would be.

Or an arena.

Petra tried futilely to stop the surge of adrenaline now rushing through her veins at the thought of fighting, and forced herself to take a few deep breaths to calm herself, praying she hadn't caught the attention of any of the others, who were now setting up lamps and torches to light the room.

However, while none of the others had seen her panicking breaths, Levi had.

"Calm down, Petra. You're not fighting today, and no one here will hurt you," Levi whispered to her, so as not to draw the attention of the others, and for that, Petra nodded thankfully.

He led her over to a row of metal, fold up chairs, which lined the wall farthest the mats, and gestured for her to sit beside him. The older members followed suit.

"Alright, brats, let's get started," Levi ordered, crossing his arms and making himself more comfortable, and everyone in the room got moving. Half of them moved to stand on the right side of the room, the others on the left.

"Armin, Historia: you two are up first."

At the sound of their names, the two short members hesitantly took their places on the mats, stopping when they were about five feet from one another.

"Begin," commanded Levi, and the two members sprang into action. Historia started with a punch, which was easily dodged by Armin, who blocked it with one hand, and managed to spin Historia around with his other. She tried to kick him, but she dodged that, too, knocking her to the ground. But before he could pin her, Historia head butted him in the jaw, and rolled out of his hold.

Petra smiled, having taught Historia that very move herself, all those months ago.

The fight continued for about another minute or so, until Levi finally declared Armin the winner. Levi criticized them both, saying that Historia was nowhere near ruthless enough, and that although Armin was able to outwit her on most occasions, he desperately needed to work on his holds.

Next up was a freckled girl named Hannah **,** and a tanned boy named Franz, who she obviously had a thing for. In the end, Levi declared neither of them to be the winner, both having flirted too much in the ring to actually call the skirmish a fight, and sentenced them to cleaning the hideout once the rankings were finished, top to bottom.

This seemed to inspire the rest of the members, as each fight grew more intense, not only as the better fighters took to the mats, but also because each wanted to put their best foot forward, and not share the fate of Hanna and Franz.

Petra studied each fight carefully, oblivious to the glances Levi threw her way. He watched as she took in every detail of each fight, each one more intense than the one before it. Each time, she looked as if she wanted to say something, but fought to bite back a comment.

"If you have something to say, than say it," Levi demanded her, wanting to know what was on her mind, just as a heated battle between Annie and Mikasa began, neither giving any ground to the other.

In the end, it was a battle of blows, neither dodging the others kicks and punches, though it was clear to everyone that both of them were perfectly able to. When Levi saw how beat up the two were becoming after taking each and every hit their opponent dealt to them, Levi ending the fight, declaring it a tie, and sentencing the two girls to cleaning duty as well, not for their poor performance, but for their stubbornness.

"Just noticing a few things, that's all. I've never trained like this before, so it's not really my place to critique others when I haven't been in their place," Petra admitted. "No one cares about what the peanut gallery has to say."

"That's a load of shit and you know it," Levi disagreed with her. "You're as much a member of the Corps as those brats are. If something's on your mind, then spit it out."

Petra regarded him for a moment, surprised at his outburst, though he had managed to keep his voice low, so that the others couldn't hear him. Nodding, Petra spoke up.

"You were right about Historia not being ruthless enough. It's been a while since I trained with her, but I can tell she's improved. I think she only held back because Armin is her ally. If he had been anyone outside of her circle of friends, a stranger threatening the group, I promise you she wouldn't have been so docile. I've seen her kick ass before. Armin may have one this time because he outwitted her, but I doubt he's that much stronger than her physically," Petra told him.

Impressed, Levi asked her to recount the other fights as well. Once Petra realized that her input was not an annoyance, but valued, she continued, speaking more freely. She pointed out the flaws, as well as the good points to everyone's movements, and offered advice for how they might improve their fighting styles.

"See anything wrong with this fight?" Levi tested her, hoping she would be able to see what he saw, or possibly point out something he had failed to see, as Ymir and Bertholdt's fight began. After taking a moment to study them, Petra spoke up.

"Bertholt is fast and agile, but look at how he kicks," Petra commented, drawing Levi's attention to the boy's legs. "He has plenty of power, and he's flexible enough, but his movements are too jerky. If he doesn't regain his balance soon-"

WHAM! The sound of Bertholdt's body hitting the mats filled the air, after Ymir had gotten behind him, and threw the guy over her shoulder, before she pinned him to the ground.

"You know, if I'd had a knife or a gun on me, you'd probably be dead," Ymir told him, leaning in so that he would hear her bored voice over his heavy panting.

"Called it," Petra said, unsurprised at how the fight had ended.

As each fight progressed, and everyone earned their rankings, Petra told Levi every flaw she could see, as well as praising every move she thought was well done. Her comments greatly influenced how he ranked everyone, this time awarding people whom he thought had performed better, even if they ended up losing the fight. Some of the members, those stupid enough to protest, joined the cleaning squad.

His curiosity was piqued, and now all he wanted was to see her fight again, and really study her own fighting style. He had only seen her in action a few times, from a distance, and while she had appeared rather nimble on her feet, he wanted to see what she would really do. She had missed nothing in everyone's fight, and he wondered exactly how she would have personally reacted to each situation, once she noticed a flaw in her opponent's fighting style.

It wasn't until the last fight between Eren and Jean had begun, that Levi spoke to her again.

"How long until you can fight again?" he asked her coolly, his arms still crossed, not taking his eyes off of the fight.

Petra was silent a moment, thinking.

"I'll be ready for next week's rankings," was all she told him.


	16. Chapter 16

**Author's Note: 'Sup** ** _~Dreamers_** **?! I know it hasn't really been all that long since I last updated, but I feel like it's been** ** _AGES_** **since I last heard from you guys! I hope all of you** ** _~Dreamers_** **are doing alright, as fellow readers and/or writers ^^ The time of my New York trip is fast approaching (October 22** **nd** **-30** **th** **), and I cannot** ** _WAIT_** **for the time off! However, this pretty much ensures that I'll be working on Halloween (T^T) my all-time** ** _FAVORITE_** **holiday. I hope at least you guys (if you even celebrate it, lol. I don't know your religions!) can enjoy it, so have some candy for me, and remember to use protection! (Yes, I just went there. You're welcome for the advice!)**

 **I own nothing of AOT/SNK except my own sh*t and ideas!**

 **Enjoy, ~** ** _Dreamers_** **, and don't forget to comment! Your feedback is much appreciated!**

* * *

The following morning, Petra woke early. She helped herself to a can of beans from the food pantry, scrounged up a metal pot, a spoon, and a small bowl, and heated her meal over the fire in the living room on the bottom floor. She was fully dressed apart from her boots and a jacket, both of which were located by the front door with everyone else's. After she had finished eating, Petra retrieved one of her handguns from upstairs, along with some ammo.

 _'_ _Everyone must still be tired from yesterday,'_ Petra thought to herself when she realized that the others had yet to rise, sleeping off their sore, bruised limbs. _'Well, everyone except for the ones who didn't fight,'_ Petra corrected herself, remembering how the older members of the gang had escaped the rankings without a scratch.

She thought back to the final fight of the day. This time, it was Eren who had come out on top, having clawed his way into the second place slate.

However, two things had been working against him, and prevented him from earning the first place slate.

First, he had been exhausted, having already won eight matches, some only by the skin of his teeth, the fights back to back. Second, instead of what was the typical 'you choose your final opponent' from one of the stronger members of the Corps, Levi had elected himself for the deed, sealing the poor boy's fate.

Not only was their leader well rested, having not broken a sweat participating in the rankings, but he was filled with the knowledge of everything Petra had pointed out during each fight, plus of course, many more years of fighting experience than Eren.

That knowledge also included many of Eren's weaknesses, ones Levi was already aware of, as well as the few Petra had pointed out to the man during the boy's matches.

The fight had been fast, but fairly painful to watch. Eren had looked terrified, and Petra wondered how often the two had fought before, or if something had happened to make Eren so twitchy around Levi.

But despite his concerns, most being for his life, Eren had charged the shorter thug, aiming a sweeping kick for his shin, a move he had picked up from that Annie girl during her fight with Mikasa.

Levi had dodged it easily, grabbing Eren by the back of his shirt, while the younger boy's weight carried him away with the force of his kick. Once Levi had shifted Eren's balance more to his favor, the thug kneed him hard in the face.

Blood had spurted everywhere, and everyone immediately assumed Eren's nose to be broken.

Lucky for Eren, Levi had decided to end the fight there, glaring down at the boy now doomed to the second place slate, even though it was still an honor to have claimed such a ranking in the first place.

After offering some words of wisdom to Eren, saying that he desperately needed to get a sense of balance, Levi offered the teen his hand, and helped the boy to his feet.

Mikasa and Armin had all but run up to Eren, offering him a handkerchief to still the bleeding from his nose, which they had discovered, after further inspection, was happily not broken.

Fearful for her own face, Petra decided it was time to start training, as she didn't want to end up like those who had lost their matches, some embarrassingly. There were no punching bags in the Corps hideout, and Petra chose instead to work on her stamina in the meantime, doubting her shoulder could handle the impact of her fists colliding with another object just yet anyway.

Not wanting to remain inside her room and dwell on her impending matches, Petra sought to re-explore Stohess District, having not been within the walls of the city in quite some time. She wanted to re-familiarize herself with the layout of the city again as soon as possible.

By free running.

From the rooftops, Petra could study the people of Stohess, mentally mapping out what groups lived where, and the different routes she could take to avoid the rougher areas of town.

It occurred to Petra then that not only could she probably ask Levi or the others for most of that information, but that she now called such an area home.

How would the people of the town look at her when she walked down the streets? With fear, anxiety, and distain? Or would they look upon her lustfully, like a few of the men in town had already done, when she had first entered the walls a few days ago, completely clothed, and still weak from the seriousness of her injury?

Petra glanced outside, peering through the surprisingly un-dusty curtains of a nearby window, having just cleaned up after her meal. The majority of the snow outside was now dirty, mixing with the muddy footsteps of the citizens of the town. Still, from what Petra could see from the ground floor, the rooftops looked untouched by people, but she still wondered if free running in such conditions was really a smart thing to do.

"And just where are you going?" rumbled the voice of Levi from behind her, once he noticed her attire, and how Petra loomed by the front door, as if readying to leave.

"Nowhere, without running it by you first," Petra assured him. "I just wanted to free run a little in town, but no one's up yet."

"And you think the conditions are prime for that?" Levi asked her rhetorically, as he made his way over to her.

"I've run in worse weather than this before," she informed. "Besides, sitting around all these weeks has done a number on my stamina. I sincerely doubt that I can run as fast or as far, now that I'm out of practice. All this lazing around is gonna make me soft," Petra admitted, making her obvious anxieties known.

"Someone who can kill three grown men and survive in Titan county on her own for six months will never get soft, especially not a person who thinks the way that you do," Levi told her simply, and Petra couldn't tell if he was complementing her or not.

She looked away from him, knowing that he had her, and sighed a little in defeat.

"If you're still bent on going, then go," Levi allowed, ignoring how her eyes flashed hopefully, before continuing. "But only on one condition."

"Which is...?" Petra asked tentatively, praying his ultimatum was not something she would be unwilling to agree with.

"I go with you," Levi proposed, his tone telling her that the condition clearly not up for debate. "But no free running just yet."

"But-!" Petra began, before Levi abruptly cut her off.

"That's final."

"…Alright," Petra agreed, somehow feeling a bit at ease, and safer, at the idea of him coming with her. She was admittedly annoyed at the thought of not being able to free run just yet, but caved when she remembered the weather and ice beyond the walls of their hideout. At least for today, Petra would take to the streets.

* * *

Levi had donned dark pants, black boots, a navy blue hoodie, and a thick, brown leather jacket over it all, even a tight fitting hat, to prevent his ears from becoming frostbitten, while Petra had waited for him in the living room, forbidden from leaving without him.

"You armed?" Levi asked Petra once he was finally ready himself, as he loaded a small handgun, being sure to click the safety on, before offering it to Petra.

"Yeah, I'm armed. You can keep the gun, I've got one on me already," Petra told him, lifting her now clean brown jacket, compliments of Hanji, to reveal the weapon holstered in her belt. "I've got plenty of knives on me, too, in case we run into Titans or something."

Both of them knew that this was a possibility, as breeches of the Wall were sadly bemoaning more common, even with the amount of guns the Garrison - the soldiers charged with protecting and maintaining the walls - possessed.

Levi nodded, impressed by her preparations despite himself, remembering that Petra knew full well the measures needed to help ensure one's survival in today's world, and that she had relied heavily on such instincts for months on her own, before they had found her, and taken her in.

He noticed how she had neglected to bring her bow and arrows, and assumed she had deemed herself unable to draw it back just yet.

Holstering the weapon into his own belt, Levi announced he was ready to leave whenever she was, and watched absentmindedly as Petra pulled on a pair of fingerless gloves.

"Ready?" he asked her once she appeared to be finished with her preparations.

"Ready," she confirmed, and began making her way towards the front door, leaving the safety of the living room. But just as she reached the door, Levi came up behind her, and roughly but swiftly pulled her fluffy hood over her head.

"Hey!" Petra exclaimed, surprised at the suddenness of his actions, adjusting her hood, which had been pulled over her eyes a bit too much for her liking, blocking her vision slightly.

"Keep it on. It's cold as shit out there," was all he told her, before brusquely opening the door, and letting the icy wind flood their senses, as if emphasizing his point.

"Jeez, you could have just asked me," Petra muttered, loud enough for him to hear, and looked away from him, hoping to hide her now burning cheeks from view.

But she had failed, and he had noticed, and Levi fought to hide the sensation that wished to pull his lips into a smirk.

* * *

"Anywhere specific you wanted to go?" Levi asked Petra after a few moments, both having walked in silence, winding in and out of the many alleys that lined the town.

"Not really. I think I just wanted to check out the city a bit more," Petra admitted. "I want to learn the lay out of this area of Stohess as soon as I can. If I'm cornered in an alley somewhere, by Titans or by other people, I want to know which way to run if I get a chance to make a break for it."

"Smart, but if I have anything to say about it, you won't have to resort to running away. From anyone," Levi assured her, and the weak smile she gave him told Levi that she was grateful, if only for his words of assurance.

He secretly hated how on edge she was, even though they were still technically in Corps territory, unbeknownst to Petra, who had yet to learn the boundaries of each gang in the city.

At every sound, Petra's head would swivel around, searching for who or whatever had made it. How many close calls did someone have to have to become so…feral? So untrusting of others? Even with the traumas all of his brats had faced in the past two and a half years, none of them even came close to the level at which Petra scrutinized her environment, not even Sasha.

"How much of Stohess are you actually familiar with?" Levi asked her after a moment, curious as to what degree of the city she already knew, when he remembered Petra mentioning she had lived here for a few months ago, after having been separated from her friends in the fall of Trost, hoping for a reunion that would never happen.

"Just the northern and northeastern section of the city," she told him. "I came in with the other Trost refugees, and hung around in that area for a few months because the military was helping us out, making shelters and trying to keep everyone fed, at least, for the most part. But when the military stopped supplying us with provisions, all of us refugees were on our own. I did my best to look for my friends, but after about three months of sleeping on rooftops and trying to get by, I lost all hope I'd ever see Historia or Ymir or the others again. It was after…my first kill, that I left for the abandoned region of Stohess, the southeastern sector beyond the Walls, where you guys found me," Petra shuddered at the mention of killing the pregnant woman, and her comrades, in that alley.

Levi saw her shiver, knowing that it was less from the cold than the memory.


	17. Chapter 17

**'** **Sup** ** _~Dreamers_** **! Long time no write! So I was just rereading my fanfictions to review a little of what I've already written and where the Hell I'm even going to go with them from where I left off, and I happened to notice on my homepage that November 11** **th** **marks one year since I created my Fanfiction account! (Am I the only one fascinated by this?) Then I got all depressed that I only wrote like 19 chapters for BTH and only like 16 for ARTS (lol, A Reason to Survive makes arts** **à** **and I love art!), and got sort of depressed that I didn't really write all that much this year in the grand scheme of things. But THEN I realized that I originally created this account to READ fics and horde them in my favorites tab, and that I only really started writing and posting my chapters in like May, so I felt less depressed knowing that I've only really been writing for a few months, and not actually a year. Go figure!**

 **As a present, I'm thinking of doing two things: 1. Finally updating both my fics for the first time in like a month. And 2. Maybe filming myself doing something stupid - like a dare or something, I don't know - and posting it to my Youtube channel for all of you to see! I just thought it would be cool to let you guys see me in person, and let you actually meet the writer behind the stories you all so dedicatedly read! (Thanks by the way!)**

 **No, this isn't me trying to get subscribers, as nice as that would be (my single subscribe is my 14 year old brother, talk about sad). He will, by the way, probably be the one filming and editing my video, because I honestly have no idea how the Hell to even post one!**

 **The purpose of me doing this is to let all of you get to know me a little better, as a writer, and as a person. I have like one video up right now, and that was of my cat from like 4 years ago, when she was still a kitten, and I was going to be a freshman in high school, so don't expect a bunch of epic original videos. If anything, you** ** _~Dreamers_** **can see my face, and snoop through my playlists to see what kind of stuff I'm into (mostly anime though), and even who I'm subscribed to. Lol, who knows? We may even be subscribed to the same person on Youtube somewhere!**

 **I'm still thinking about this though, so let me know what you guys think via PM's and reviews to my fics!**

 **And enjoy,** ** _~Dreamers!_**

* * *

"Anywhere specific you wanted to go?" Levi asked Petra after a few moments, both having walked in silence, as the two winded in and out of the many alleys that lined the town.

"Not really. I think I really just wanted to check out the city a bit more. You know, learn the layout of Stohess as soon as I can," Petra admitted. "If I'm cornered in an alley somewhere, by Titans, or by other people, I want to know which way to run, that is, if I'm lucky enough to get a chance to make a break for it."

"Smart, but if I have anything to say about it, you won't have to resort to running away. From anyone," Levi told her, and the weak smile she gave him told Levi that she was grateful, if only for his attempted words of assurance.

He hated how on edge she was, how paranoid, even though they were still technically in Corps territory, unbeknownst to Petra, who had yet to learn the boundaries of each gang in the city. It was then that Levi started explaining and pointing out the limits of the other gangs in the city, if only to help her calm down a little by realizing that the two of them were within their own gang's territory.

At every sound, Petra's head would swivel around, searching for who or whatever had made it. How many close calls did someone have to have to become so…feral? So untrusting of others?

Even with the traumas all of his brats had faced in the past two and a half years, none of them even came close to the level at which Petra scrutinized her environment, not even Sasha.

"How much of Stohess are you actually familiar with?" Levi asked her after a moment, curious as to what degree of the city she already knew, when he remembered Petra mentioning she had lived here for a few months ago, after having been separated from her friends in the fall of Trost, hoping for a reunion that would never happen.

"Just the northern and northeastern section of the city," she told him. "I came in with the other Trost refugees, and hung around in that area for a while because the military was helping us out, making shelters and trying to keep everyone fed. At least, for the first few months. But when the military stopped supplying us with provisions, all of us refugees were on our own."

Petra remembered when the rations started to run out, as caravan after caravan of soldiers bringing food and provisions into the district were attacked by hordes of Titans. It was during those months that she had felt the first pangs of hunger, and truly learned what it meant to be starving.

"I did my best to look for my friends, but after about three months of sleeping on rooftops and just trying to survive, I lost all hope I'd ever see Historia, or Ymir, or the others again. Up until I gave up looking for them and decided to leave the safety of the district, they were my reason to survive."

Levi was quiet, noting how Petra's expression begin to darken. But even as she continued, she still remained vigilant, as if the ghosts from her past were all around her.

Her pace would pick up when she appeared to say something she was obviously nervous about, and Petra would often break into a light jog, the content of their discussion enough of a distraction from the lingering soreness of her still healing wound.

He knew that she was still hurt, and just how long it took to recover from such a serious injury, but he quickly learned that Petra's abrupt and erratic changes of pace had little to do with her stamina, or the icy weather.

Levi was now starting to learn her habits and her signals, and could tell whenever something was difficult for her to say, as her pace would slow, and Petra would grow quiet

"It was after…my first kill…that I left for the abandoned region of Stohess, the southeastern sector beyond the Walls, where you guys found me."

Petra shuddered at the mention of killing the pregnant woman, and the woman's comrades, in that fateful alley all those months ago.

Levi saw her shiver, knowing that it was less from the cold than the memory.

"Ironic how leaving the city only helped me raise my kill count. It's amazing how many people will shoot first when they don't know you," Petra laughed uncomfortably, rubbing her arms nervously, and desperately looking in any direction then at him.

But he had heard how shaky her voice was, and had seen the beginning of the tears in her eyes as she had turned away from him.

Levi reached out to grab ahold of her good arm, gently, yet firmly, forcing her to look up at him.

"Hey!-"

"Stop that," was all he told her.

"Stop what?!" Petra demanded, a bit more loudly then she had intended to.

Levi only looked at her, holding her gaze, and his own expression spoke volumes. After a long moment of scrutinizing his face, Petra released a defeated sigh. She forced herself to relax a little, knowing that he wanted her to calm down. That she didn't need to keep beating herself up for the actions of others.

That she was safe with him.

* * *

After about an hour of running, Levi called it, seeing how Petra had begun to shiver more and more frequently. He was impressed how long she was able to run, and how far, in freezing temperatures, and icy conditions.

Petra had grown increasingly less twitchy as she became more use to the people, smells, and noises of the city, though Levi would not yet say she was completely comfortable with her new surroundings.

But Petra and Levi were now on the other side of the district, and far from the Corps hideout. While they had plenty of daylight left, Levi still thought it best to start heading back, should anything happen to hinder their return.

"Okay, kid, show me what you've learned," Levi demanded, turning to stand in front of Petra.

"Um, what are you talking about?" Petra asked him, unsure of what exactly it was he wanted from her.

"Lead the way back to the hideout," was all he told her, sounding almost bored, though his steely grey eyes shined in amusement.

"What?! But I've only seen this part of the city once! Jeez, give me a chance to learn the city a little more!" Petra complained.

"So you can't do it?" Levi concluded.

"I didn't say that! I just don't think I'll be able to-"

Levi cut her off, pushing her against a wall and getting all in her face. Any thoughts of his puny stature were immediately forgotten, and Petra figured that he was far more intimidating than any man a foot taller than him.

"Are you going to keep whining, or at least try? Making excuses are getting us nowhere. If you don't want to freeze, then get us home," he told her.

Levi watched as her cheeks flushed a deep shade of pink, and as she desperately fought to compose herself, before looking up at him with a determined glare.

"Fine. But we'll do this my way. Enough with the streets, were traveling across the rooftops. It'll be faster that way."

 _"_ _And from the top of the buildings I can get a better idea of where we are, and hopefully how to get back,"_ Petra thought but didn't have the guts to add.

She was still reeling from the fact that she had spoken up to Levi like that, and a small part of her waited for him to hit her or something for being so disrespectful of the man who was supposed be the leader of the gang she now belonged to.

However, the blow never came, and Petra watched the beginnings of a smirk grace his lips, which she now noticed were dangerously close to her own.

"Let's go then," was all he said as he disentangled himself from her body, which had caged her against a brick wall in his arms for a long moment after she had spoken, as if he were somewhat reluctant to pull away from her.

* * *

Petra had scaled the first fire escape she had found, Levi right behind her.

After taking a few seconds to scan the tops of the dozens of buildings that was the district of Stohess, Petra broke into a run, and hurled herself from building to building. But unlike a week ago, this time, Petra was more able to handle the impacts of each landing.

Petra didn't pause to see if Levi was keeping up with her or not, sensing his presence on her heels throughout the entirety of their run.

For the jumps too large to even think about attempting, she was quick to find creative methods for bridging the gaps, using long pieces of wood, ropes, old ladders, even the occasional metal pole, to avoid returning to the dangers of the streets below.

They reached the Corps hideout by the rooftops in about half the time it took them to get across town using the streets.

Petra was more than slightly breathless, but hid it to the best of her ability, not wanting to appear weak under the ever watchful gaze of her new leader.

"So…how did I do, _Boss_?" Petra asked him sarcastically, mentally cursing for letting a panting gasp escape her moth midsentence.

"Not bad, kid," Levi allowed, being sure not to smile when she made a face at him not calling her by her name once again.

He debated messing with her a bit more, but opted against it when he saw her shiver once again, and instead lead her back into the hideout.

* * *

The others had been worried, when they had woken and discovered that both Levi and Petra were nowhere to be found. The older members were not as frantic as the younger teens had been, saying that Levi must have been with her, and not to worry too much over it.

Despite all of their big talk, however, the older members could hardly hide their relief when their grumpy leader returned with Petra, safe and sound.

Both of them had kicked off their boots, leaving them by the door, and Petra had nearly bolted to sit by the fireplace in the main room of the hideout, where most everyone had gathered. While cold himself, Levi calmly strode up to the fire at a saner pace.

Hanji had teased them mercilessly, calling them lovers and saying that Levi had taken to training Petra in more ways than one. Of course, Petra had furiously denied it, though the deep blush coloring her cheeks told Hanji otherwise. Levi had remained silent, not wanting to waste the breath trying to end the delusions of the crazy brunette.

But he didn't exactly deny her claims either, and chose to stand beside Petra, where she was seated on the floor in front of the fireplace for warmth.

* * *

A few days later, Levi announced to the others that Petra would be participating in this week's rankings. Everyone had mixed opinions.

Ymir, Historia, and Petra's previous group insisted she should still be taking it easy, and that going for that run with Levi the other day had been reckless.

Other members didn't feel right fighting someone who they knew was not only still hurt, but no doubt rusty from being 'out of the action' for nearly a month.

The men especially had voiced their disaproval, knowing that Levi had no qualms with pitting people of the opposite sex, and often size, against one another. They didn't feel that there were no bragging rights in taking out an injured girl more than half their size.

Levi had replied with some comment about size not mattering, and when the members of the Corps remembered their leader's stature, and just how ruthless he could be, the room grew uncomfortably quiet, no one wishing to challenge Levi to a battle of wit and words, which would eventually lead to a painful battle of fists.

"I've seen Petra fight before," Levi told them, remembering their first encounter, when she had swiftly killed three bandits to save Isabel. "Going easy on her in the ring will undoubtedly cost you the match, so don't take her skills lightly."

Petra felt her face burn at his sudden praise, not sure why she felt embarrassed.

But after a couple of seconds, she began to feel a little discouraged. Maybe the others holding back would have been just the advantage she needed to get ahead in the rankings. Now that everyone had been warned exclusively by Levi, who was quite possible the best fighter in the gang, she doubted anyone would take it easy on her.

Petra then turned to face Levi, and scrutinized him carefully, almost as if she were trying to dissect him from the inside out.

She had only seen him fight once before, against Eren during last week's rankings, but it was obvious to her that he had been holding back. His relaxed muscles and lucid fighting stance had made that apparent from the start of the fight that he had been in control the entire time.

The air of power Levi seemed to give off told Petra that he was an excellent fighter, and confident in his abilities, yet he didn't appear to be boastful at all.

Petra's eyes slowly traveled up and down his body, which, even under the thick layers of clothing he wore, was extremely built.

A faint blush stung at her cheeks when Petra remembered all of the times those toned arms had been wrapped around her. When they had bandaged her shoulder at her gym on the other side of the Walls. When they had carried her the times she had felt weak or dizzy from pushing herself too hard, crushing her against his hard chest.

It was at this moment that Petra had chosen to look up at him from underneath her long, auburn lashes, only to discover that he had been studying her, as she had been studying him.

His eyes widened slightly in surprise as their gazes met, and the two of them had quickly looked away from one another, both feeling naked and vulnerable under the others' scrutiny.

Their awkward encounter went unnoticed by the other members in the room, who chatted and took bets on who would win this week's matches, which were to be held the next day.


	18. Chapter 18

**Author's Note: What up** ** _~Dreamers_** **?! I still haven't gotten around to making that video - still don't even know if I'm going to at all – but I just can't find the time to. (Luckily for you guys, I still find the time to write!)**

 **So this chapter ended up becoming so long, I decided to split it into two. I'm pretty happy with the first half, so I'm posting it now, though no promised that there aren't any typos, 'cuz I'm sure that there are! I'll post the second half as a new chapter as soon as I'm finished editing it. There are still a few parts I'm not quite satisfied with, mostly with the dialogue parts.**

 **My biggest pet peeve is not keeping everyone in character. There's a reason we all love the characters of AOT/SNK so much, because of their diverse and distinct personalities, and even one slight mess up can ruin a chapter for a lot of people – or at least for me.**

 **Enjoy this for now, and talk to you soon** ** _~Dreamers_** **!**

 **Please review!**

…

Petra awoke to the sounds of muffled voices and footsteps, moving throughout the hideout. ' _Everyone must be waking up now,'_ Petra thought, deciding she too should finally rise.

Standing up, she began getting ready for the rankings, dressing in dark, tight clothes that would be easy to move in. She didn't have a brush, so she ran her fingers through her long, coppery locks, hoping to untangle them the best she could, before strangling it into a hair tie to keep it out of her face.

In the bathroom mirror, she inspected her wound, which had finally closed a few days ago, as well as her new tattoo. It had stung and burned for the majority of Petra's first week there, before the flesh disgustingly scabbed over. Hanji and some of the others had taken a look at it, and had deemed it normal.

Even Levi had demanded to see it, to check over his handy work, and to make sure it was healing properly, or so he said.

However, he had hardly glanced at Isabel's.

Petra's face had burned into a deep shade of red, but she had reluctantly showed him, knowing that he had seen more of her body before.

And that notion alone only made her blush more, and she found herself hurriedly getting ready, anxious to clothe the parts of her body Levi had already seen, and touched.

…

Petra took it upon herself to wake Historia and Ymir, knowing that her friends were pretty heavy sleepers. Both girls had taken to sharing the same sleeping space since Petra had met them, so finding the two across the room in the same bed didn't surprise her in the slightest.

Jean, Reiner, and Bertholdt had often teased the two about being lesbians or something, but Petra never got that vibe from them. They had always been really close, just like sisters.

Historia had woken fairly easily, and a small yawn escaped the small girl's mouth as she rubbed the night from her eyes. Ymir had groaned for a few moments in complaint, before reluctantly allowing Historia and Petra to pull her body from the warmth of her bed.

Isabel was nowhere in sight, and Petra assumed a good bit of the noise she could hear beneath them was probably said girl.

"Wow, you look like shit, Petra," Ymir stated after getting dressed, noticing the deep bags that had formed under Petra's eyes.

"Gee, thanks."

"Ymir!" Historia scolded, surprised but not surprised by her friend's sudden outburst, before turning her attention to Petra. "Does your shoulder still hurt?"

"A little, but nothing I can't deal with," Petra admitted. "I didn't really sleep last night, like at all. I think I'm just nervous about the rankings today."

"Are you sure? You know you don't have to participate this week if you don't want to!" Historia exclaimed worriedly, remembering how Petra had fainted in her arms only a week ago from overworking herself.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure Levi would let you take another week or two off if you asked for it," Ymir offered, also concerned for her friend.

"Really guys, I'm alright," Petra assured them. "Besides, if I wait around for another week or two, I'll go crazy."

The three continued to argue for a bit more before Historia eventually caved, knowing there was no negotiating with Petra once her mind was made up. Ymir gave up entirely, rationing if Petra had the strength to spontaneously go running with their leader in the dead of winter then she was well enough to 'kick some ass,' as Ymir had put it.

…

Once finally ready, the three ventured downstairs to join everyone that had woken so far, and discovered that they were pretty much the last ones to get up.

"Good of you to join us, sleeping beauties," Auroro said with a flourish, his tone dripping in sarcasm.

Petra eyed the man carefully, memorizing everything from his build to the way he walked. In practically all of the times Petra had heard him speak, it was always to hit on the girls, boast about his supposed skills in combat, or to flat out insult someone.

And while Petra didn't feel as if he had anything against her personally, and also that she was admittedly horrible at deciphering sarcasm, she honestly wouldn't mind putting the poor sap in his place.

However, to put someone in their place, that typically meant that you knew where it was you stand yourself, and Petra still couldn't figure out where exactly that left her.

For now, Petra decided to put lingering thoughts of beating the man to a bloody pulp aside for the moment, realizing that if she ever actually made it to the second place slate, she could always challenge him to earn the first place slate, as he was one of the more elite fighters in the Corps gang.

That is, if she even made it that far, and if Levi didn't nominate himself as her final opponent.

Petra shuddered, and found herself clutching at her shoulder absentmindedly as she remembered the brutal beating Eren had received from their leader only a week ago. The poor kid was still bruised up, the knots on his face and limbs finally fading from their deep purples to greenish-yellows, as bruises typically do.

Petra found it difficult to continue eating, her breakfast consisting of boiled water and a pack of dried rations the others had shared with her, probably earned by trading information or weapons at some point.

If she faced Levi today, would he beat her as badly?

That, Petra hadn't a clue.

She had asked the others who had been brave/stupid enough to pick a fight with Levi before, and all of their faces grew a few shades paler, none willing to talk about what must have been fairly traumatic experiences, though none matched the shades of white Eren and Historia had turned.

To say their answers were unsettling would have been an understatement.

No longer willing to futilely try and cram down the tasteless food she wasn't even sure she could keep down anymore, Petra wrapped up what was left of her rations to save for later. She looked around the room for a familiar face.

She found said figure leaning against the door to the cellar below, appearing bored and more than slightly annoyed by everyone's rowdiness, but tolerating the ruckus all the same.

It was at this moment that Levi looked up, as if the feeling of being watched was enough to pull his stormy eyes upwards to meet her own from across the room.

He visibly tensed when he saw the look of fear and apprehension on her face, the abruptness of the movement going unnoticed by the others, boasting and taking bets on who would come out on top this week.

Why did she look so afraid of him?

But before Levi could walk over to Petra and demand to know what was wrong with her, and why she was looking at him in fear, Erwin announced that everyone was ready, signaling Levi to lead everyone into the basement. If Levi were to suddenly walk up to Petra and try to talk to her now, it would hardly be subtle.

Looks like he missed his chance.

…

The walk down the steps of the basement was horrible. Petra was the last person to enter the dark corridor, and fought to keep herself from panicking when she heard the heavy door to the cellar close behind her, taking the light of morning with it.

If not for the torches and random battery powered lamps lining the walls of the hallway and basement, it would be practically impossible to see.

After taking a few moments to stretch a bit, everyone took to standing against the walls of the basement, patiently awaiting to be called for their impending matches.

Levi looked each of them in the eyes, as if he was debating which combination would be the most lethal to one another. You could cut the tension in the air with a knife. Eventually, though, his stormy eyes came to rest on Petra, and then on someone else across the room she could not see, Reiner's heavy form blocking her view.

"Petra, Connie, you're up."

"Wait, seriously?!" Connie complained in disbelief, not wanting to fight Petra.

"Do I ever joke?" Levi asked rhetorically, his steely glare beckoning for the two to take to the mats.

Connie didn't know her very well yet, but he did know two things.

One, he didn't have anything against her and was obviously reluctant to fight Petra when he knew she was technically still recovering.

Two, and he wasn't really sure, but he had this nagging feeling that she could actually fight. Not just from what he gathered from the others, when Petra had taken out some bandits for Isabel, but…just because. Anyone who could survive for nearly six months outside the Walls must have some skill, or so he reasoned.

After kicking off his shoes, and peeling off his socks, Connie stepped onto the mats. Petra did the same.

Connie took a stance that looked completely defensive. He was clearly playing it safe, a smart move when fighting an opponent he knew nearly nothing about.

Petra took up a more neutral stance, bringing her fists up to her face, and crouching low to the ground. She stood in a way that she might easily defend herself if Connie came at her, kicking and swinging, but was also sure to keep her legs bent a little, in case she saw an opening, and needed to spring forward.

Levi looked at Connie, then at Petra, receiving a nod from each of them, signaling that they were ready.

"Begin."

At first, Connie and Petra just stood there staring at each other, frozen for a few seconds in their own inner turmoil's, and daring the other to make the first move, Connie understandably hesitating at the thought of hitting an injured girl, and Petra…

Her blood was boiling, and she wasn't exactly sure why. Petra mentally reminded herself that she was in not real danger. That she would not die if she lost the match.

Was it fear, or anger, that tensed her muscles into a fighting stance, and pumped adrenaline trough her veins?

She didn't know. What she did know, however, was that Connie's fist was now flying towards her face.

But when Petra looked at Connie, all she could see was the face of a man as he rushed her. One of the men that had jumped her in the alley with that pregnant woman, all those months ago.

Whatever had triggered this sudden memory broke something within Petra.

In half a second, Petra dodged his blow, weaving out of the way. In the next half of a second, she sent an elbow right into Connie's throat.

Hard.

She jumped back as Connie dropped to his knees, clutching his neck desperately, as if the action might somehow stop him from violently wheezing, and gasping for air.

Petra had stared down at him in horror, her hands rushing up to her mouth in disbelief. Her elbow was sore, and Petra prayed that she hadn't crushed his trachea.

Everyone was in shock, not believing what had just happened.

Even Levi's eyes had been wide with surprise, and Auroro's jaw was practically on the floor.

Sure, Petra was hurt, but it had been nearly a month since she was shot, so no one really knew what to expect from her. Would she be rusty, having not fought or trained in so long? Apparently not. And while Connie was not exactly the best of fighters, he was fast enough.

Levi held up a hand, regaining his composure, and signaled a sort of time-out, not that Petra was cruel enough to continue beating on the kid any further.

"Connie, you alright?!" Sasha exclaimed worriedly, running over to him and helping him stand up, Historia and Eren there as well.

Connie was capable of little more than breathing, but managed a nod, and let the others drag him off the mats.

Petra let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding in. She was relieved that it hadn't been her who had to be carried off of the mats – this time – but she felt horrible to what she had done to Connie.

If she was still conscious by the time all of this was over, Petra would apologize to him for not holding back, and she prayed she didn't the chance at making another friend wasn't carried off of the mats with Connie.

"Guess I don't have to announce the winner of that match," Levi stated bluntly, watching as the others helped Connie into a chair. "Alright, next up, Ymir and Mikasa."

Petra finally stepped off of the mats, sharing a grim look with Ymir, but wishing her friend luck anyway. Petra returned to her place in line, leaning heavily against the wall.

When had she become so ruthless? Connie didn't deserve that, not even Auroro did.

Well, maybe not.

Hardly anyone was watching the match before them, everyone swarming Petra with congratulatory slaps on the back, and asking her where she learned to fight like that. Were they truly not worried about their friend?

Petra found Connie across the room, still catching his breath. He was no longer wheezing, but the boy still held his throat painfully. Deciding that he was alright, Petra felt a surge of relief wash over her. That, as well as a tad insecure, annoyed that her blow must not have been as hard as she had originally thought it had been.

Was she really that weak?

Jean, Reiner, Bertholdt, and Historia had only smiled smugly, knowing Petra had always been a good fighter.

Ymir, was otherwise engaged.

However, even they were more than a little shocked by Petra's ferocity. When had she become so ruthless? When had Petra adopted her new 'take no prisoners' attitude?

What had life beyond the Walls done to her?


	19. Chapter 19

**Author's Note: 'Sup** ** _~Dreamers_** **! So one of my fellow** ** _~Dreamers_** **, by the name of** ** _DenzelRank_** **on Fanfiction, told me about this cool fanfic website called** ** _Inkiit_** **. For those of you who don't know what it is, this website is pretty much like Fanfiction, letting you read fictional stories for free and rate them to your heart's content, as well as post some of your own creative works.** ** _DenzelRank_** **invited me to check out the site, and to participate in a writing contest called Fandom 2, in hopes that I might get my stories a little more attention.**

 **If I read this correctly, the top 10% writers of the contest - and that's competing with anywhere between hundreds-thousands of other fics and genres - receive either 1** **st** **, 2** **nd** **, or 3** **rd** **place. 1** **st** **place winners get $30 in Amazon gift card cash, 2** **nd** **place gets $20, and 3** **rd** **place gets $10. It may not seem like much, but the fact that 10% of people can win means that there are that many more prizes Inkiit gives out, so it's actually pretty fair when you think about it!** **J**

 **1** **st** **place winners get a gold emblem on their profile page, 2** **nd** **place gets silver, and 3** **rd** **place gets bronze. If you happen to stumble upon a great story or writer, and notice any one of these three emblems on their homepage, then it's safe to say that their pieces are well worth checking out!**

 **I haven't posted anything yet, but I plan to at least post A Reason to Survive as my piece for this contest, which I think ends December 22** **nd** **. I decided to reuse my username** ** _FeelingDreamy_** **, so that you** ** _~Dreamers_** **can find me that much easier should any of you decide to check out the site, and want to look me up!**

 **It's free and easy to create an account, and I'll definitely need your support!**

 **I own nothing of AOT/SNK, but I's be rolling in it if I did!**

 **As always, enjoy** ** _~Dreamers_** **!**

…

Ymir had ended up winning the match, but by the skin of her teeth, managing to land a deciding blow in Mikasa's stomach. Mikasa had been distracted by Eren, who had been cheering her on with Armin, on the other side of the room.

But it was obvious that Mikasa should have been the victor. Petra could just sense it, feel that she was being driven by something, or rather, by someone.

Every step she had taken, every kick, every punch she had thrown, had all been to better her skills – for Eren. To protect him, or at least allow her to better provide some back up when things get hairy.

While Mikasa seemed docile for now, Petra knew that if she had really gone all out, such as to defend Eren, then Ymir wouldn't have stood a chance.

Her moves were more precise, cleaner, and far more calculated than Ymir's, who didn't appear to really even be trying, though Petra knew that she was.

"Eren, Reiner, you're up next," Levi announced boredly, as if the last fight had done little to keep him entertained.

This time, Reiner got cocky, and it was Eren who won the match, flipping Petra's friend as if he weighed nothing, despite Reiner's heavy, muscular build.

This is when things start to get a little tense. As most everyone had fought at least once now, Levi was tasked with pitting people of near equal fighting strength and skill against one another, in order to be as fair as possible.

Levi typically started with the members he deemed the weakest, and worked his way up from there.

To pit someone as docile as Armin up against someone as merciless as Annie, or as strong as Reiner right off the bat would be pointless, the kid would lose right away. However, if Armin – or even Historia – were to eventually work their way up the food chain a little, then it meant that they were capable enough to fight on the same level as the more experienced fighters.

Levi hesitated, knowing nearly everyone who remained in the rankings was about twice the size of Petra.

Though Levi knew better than anyone that size didn't always decide the outcome of a fight, he wasn't positive Petra was up to taking on someone too physically superior to her just yet.

After a few long moments, Levi spoke once again, and announced the next pair.

"Annie, Petra, you're up," Levi said after a brief moment's deliberation.

No one even knew what to say.

"Well, you may as well just quit now, kid," Auroro laughed. "There's no way you're gonna beat Annie. So why don't you just save yourself some pain and-"

Auroro's shock cut himself off, when Petra stepped onto the mats, followed by Annie.

…

Petra had hoped to hold back a little more in her next match, but when she saw the intensity in Annie's eyes and began dodging the swiftness of the girl's moves, Petra knew she couldn't afford to.

Petra had been right to worry.

Annie was almost impossibly strong, and it was all Petra could do not to get hit.

Annie used her size well, dodging nearly all of Petra's swings and kicks, moving quickly.

The first hit of the fight had landed right against Petra's left temple. Petra had grown as tense as a statue, gritting her teeth in pain as Annie stepped back, waiting for Petra to react.

No one had ever taken a headshot from Annie and remained upright.

Or conscious.

Everything around her spun as Petra's vision blurred, Annie's figure coming in and out of focus.

One second, Annie was standing before her. The next, the pregnant woman from the alley, covered in blood, clutching at her swollen stomach – one that would never live to birth the child within her.

In a flash, Petra was in front of Annie.

Before the girl could even think of dodging, Petra sent a swooping kick to her side. Deciding to keep with the kicking theme, Petra threw herself upwards, bringing her arms into her chest as a sudden explosion of tendon, bone and muscle launched her body into the air.

Both of her feet lifted up together in a high jump, and dropkicked Annie directly in the stomach.

Annie's fists had attempted to block Petra's impending blow, but she was still off balance from the first hit she had taken from Petra, and the force of the entirety of Petra's weight came crashing down on her, knocking her to the ground a second time.

Hard.

Annie grunted in pain, clutching her ribs with her hands, unsure or not of they were broken, as she rolled wildly around on the mats.

Petra's head was pounding so hard, she could barely hear Annie, as she cried out in pain.

Petra reached up to hold her still throbbing temple with one hand. When she pulled it back, her hand was covered in blood.

Levi stood up, about to call the match a draw, when Petra slowly raised her hand – the one not covered in her blood.

"I'm-…I'm done for today…," Petra muttered in defeat, panting, before shakily walking across the mats to said girl. She offered Annie a hand to help her stand up.

Annie only glared at her, and chose to stand up on her own, without Petra's aid.

"So you're running away?" Annie asked her.

"Until I can learn to hold back a little, yes," Petra admitted to the room, not bothering to deny her cowardice.

"Do I really look that weak to you?" Annie told her, insulted. "Are you really forfeiting the match because you're too scared to lose?"

"No. I'm forfeiting…because I'm afraid that I'll win," Petra stated darkly, her eyes daring Annie to keep egging her on, but afraid of what might happen to Annie if she actually did.

"Then maybe you just need a bit more of a challenge," Levi offered, standing up from his seat across the room.

He shared a look with Annie, one that clearly dismissed her, and she limped sorely back to her place against the wall.

After taking off his shoes, Levi stepped onto the mats. There was something that he wanted to check out for himself.

"Hey, four eyes, count us down," Levi demanded Hanji, not once taking his eyes off of Petra.

"Aye aye, Captain!" Hanji saluted mockingly. "Three…"

Petra brought her fists back up to guard her face, ignoring the blood from her head wound that had begun to spill over one of her eyes.

She had no time to be scared of what he would do to her, of the beating that she would surely receive in the next few seconds.

Right now, it was all Petra could do to remain upright.

Levi just stood there, waiting, and taunting her with his calm demeanor.

"Two…" Hanji continued cheerfully, as if completely unfazed by the series of events unfolding before her.

"One!"

Petra and Levi both lunged for one another at speeds that almost seemed inhuman, both of them a blur to anyone not looking closely enough.

But Levi was faster.

He dodged Petra's impending punch by side stepping to her left, and came up behind her. Registering that she had missed, Petra quickly tried to spin around, pivoting on one leg.

A mistake on her part.

Her knee gave out on her, just as Levi had expected it would.

Using what little momentum she had left, Petra used her other leg to propel herself at Levi.

Already off balance, Petra fell to the ground when Levi kicked the only leg that kept her standing.

She hit the ground hard, and winced as her ribs had taken the brunt of the fall, the mats doing little to soften her landing.

Not giving her any time to recover, and come at him again, Levi roughly sat her up, yanking her by her shirt.

Petra struggled to get out of his grasp with everything she had, before she realized such a feat was impossible. He was just too strong.

Petra closed her eyes, preparing for a blow…that never came.

Hesitantly, Petra looked up at him, his eyes shining in anger.

"Now that I have your attention," he began, glowering down at her menacingly, his voice like ice. "First, why did you throw the match? Were you really that afraid of hurting Annie, or of what you could feel yourself becoming?" he asked, not for a second buying into that cowardice shit Annie had spouted about Petra earlier.

Because he had seen Petra kill, but knew no real murderer would ever be as gentle with Isabel, or be able to laugh as freely as she did around the others.

In answer, Petra dropped her gaze, the look of fear and torment in her eyes telling him what he needed to know.

"If I thought for a second either of you were actually going to inflict any permanent damage to one another, I would've called the match, even if it meant I had to step in and beat the idiocy out of you two myself," Levi assured her.

Petra could tell that he was dead serious, which made it hardtop be assured by his definite words.

"Second, what's wrong with your knee?" he demanded.

"What are you-"

The deadly look he shot at Petra warned her not to bother with excuses, daring her to lie to his face, and feel the consequences.

"…I never even told Historia or Ymir or the guys about this, but…" Petra began. She draped an arm over her eyes to hide her face from Levi, unable to look him dead in the eyes – he was just too intimidating.

"I was expecting to have surgery on my knee before…Shiganshina."

The mere mention of the name of that infamous city said enough to everyone.

"My other one isn't as bad, but it's getting there. My doctor said I wore it down running and kickboxing so often, and that it's pretty common in athletes. But, obviously, that surgery never happened. Free running, fighting Titans and thugs. I haven't exactly had the time to take it easy, so I've done nothing but wear them down. You know, until I had to, after I got shot."

"…Why did you hide it from everyone?" Levi reprimanded harshly, his frustration evident in his tone, though he couldn't decide if he was angrier at Petra for keeping such a secret, or at himself for not noticing her handicap a lot sooner.

Levi thought back to the few times he had seen her run up close. Petra had an almost jumpy style of running, and she tripped here and there like anyone, but she was coordinated enough.

He wondered now just exactly how many of her stumbles had been because she was not paying close enough attention, or because her knees had given out on her.

Surely it must have been at least a little painful.

"I didn't want to worry anyone! It's not that big of a deal!" Petra defended, her voice shaking as she looked up at Levi.

In response to this, Levi roughly pulled her in closer, still holding her by her shirt, bringing her face mere inches away from his, and rendering her unable to look away.

"Not a big deal?" he growled.

Though they were fairly close in height, Petra felt two inches tall.

"So if we're out on a job, and people are relying on your skills as a fighter, can you honestly tell me that you can be counted on when shit goes down? That your knees won't spontaneously give out in the middle of a firefight with another gang, if we're jumped by other people?"

For a brief pause, Levi fumed in silence, as he glared down at her, letting his words sink in, and paint terrifying pictures in everyone's mind.

"You not telling anyone about your legs is the practically the same as sending your friends into a fight blind."

Petra was crying now, as images of her friends taking a bullet because of one false step danced around in her mind.

The sight of her tears made his eyes widen slightly in surprise, and before he knew it, Levi found himself unwillingly loosen his grip on the neck of Petra's shirt.

And then, without warning, he dropped her back onto the mats, turning his back on her, as well as on everyone else in the room, overwhelmed by the intense feeling of wanting to compose himself.

"The rankings are over for today. For those of you brats that still want to continue, we'll resume them tomorrow. And Petra," he called over his shoulder, not even bothering to turn around to face her. "You and Annie will finish your fight tomorrow. Hanji, get them patched up."

More specifically: to take care of Petra's injuries.

"Aye, aye sir!" Hanji sang nonchalantly, as if Levi's little power display amounted to nothing out of the ordinary.

But she had seen it again, the softness in his eyes as he stole glances at Petra, even in the instances she was not fighting someone. The way Levi had looked at Petra when he was scolding her in front of the others, as if he had to fight to remain angry at her, and not become lost in the swirling pools of amber fearfully looking back at him.


	20. Chapter 20

**Author's Note: Sorry guys, I've kind of been in a funk lately, and I'm not really sure why. I started writing this chapter about two or three weeks ago, and added to it little by little whenever i could/felt like it. Hope you all like this! I was gonna split it into two chapters, but I thought my _~Dreamers_ would appreciate one long chapter than two sort of wimpy ones with a crappy cut off point.**

 **Dis everyone have a Happy Valentine's Day? Well great, because mine was absolute sh*t. I've been single since sophomore year in high school, and now I'm a sophomore in college. So like 4 years, with a few her and there relationships that never lasted more than a week before me and the guy involved awkwardly and mutually decided to end it because there was no feeling/spark.**

 **To make up for the lack of chocolate I failed to recieve on Vagina-! VALENTINE'S Day...I may have jogged about 3mi (not sure what that is in Km) to the nearest drugstore (it was CVS) to get three LARGE boxes of half priced chocolate...yes, I am aware i have a problem. But damn this chocolate is GOOD!**

 **Still own nothing of AOT/SNK (sadly), and as always, enjoy _~Dreamers_!**

* * *

"He means well you know," Hanji told Petra as she finished patching her up. Across the room, someone else was tending to Annie.

Some of the Corps members lingered about her opponent and comrade, more because they were still hyped from the outcome of their particular match than in concern for Annie.

"Yeah, I know," Petra sighed, wincing a little as Hanji tightened the bandages now circling her head, before pulling Petra's bangs over the gauze.

"I was kind of surprised, though." Hanji admitted as she began putting the extra bandages back in the first aid kit. "We've never had to postpone a match before."

Petra tentatively looked over Hanji's shoulder, to catch a glimpse of Annie. It was obvious to everyone that the blond haired girl was still pissed, and Petra couldn't exactly blame her.

 _'You had me. We were equal in strength and stamina, but you lost your cool. If you would've just kept calm, and used your head, you could've won that match,'_ Annie had told her afterward. _'There's nothing like fighting against someone stronger than you and coming out on top, but how can I have any pride in a victory won because my opponent broke in front of me? **Get it together**.'_

Get it together.

Annie's last words echoed in Petra's head, almost in unison with the throbbing heartbeat in her head.

Once things had begun to calm down some, Petra snuck back down to the basement, bringing only a single lamp with her for light. This time, she felt no fear as she descended the stairs to oblivion.

There was one thing she desperately needed right now, and that was some time beating a leather bag. But this was not her gym, with punching bags and gloves to protect her hands. She would have to be a little more creative.

Finding some rope, Petra rolled up one of the rubber mats from the floor, and tied it off at each end. She hauled it across the room, before leaning the bag up against the wall, near a metal pipe. Using another rope, Petra secured the rolled up mats to the pipe.

And now she had her punching bag.

At a loss for what she would do for gloves, Petra ultimately decided to use gaze. She lifted the hem of her shirt to her mouth, holding it between her teeth and out of the way, before undoing the very bandages that may have been keeping her possibly broken ribs in place.

After spitting out her shirt and wrapping her knuckles best she could, Petra tightened the elastic band around her hair, which still somehow managing to keep her golden tresses from her face, though some locks fell free.

Somewhat satisfied, Petra took a fighting stance, crouching low as she usually did, readying herself for the blinding pain she was no doubt setting herself up for. Closing her eyes, Petra slowed her breathing, and honed her senses.

Then she was at home, writing fanfictions and drawing and painting and singing alone in her room, finding comfort in the sound of the music playing from her laptop as it filled the empty space around her.

Petra bit her lip, in attempt to keep it from quivering.

She would often do this to try and forget how much she wished her parents would both come home to her, or how she wished she at least had a friend to make some of the pain bearable.

Then she was on a rooftop, watching helplessly as Marco was being ripped apart by Titans before her eyes, while she heard his terrified screams of agony, and her friends' futile cries of protest to the Titans devouring him, their yells muffled by the distance between their impossible-to-reach rooftop, and her own.

Tears escaped Petra's eyes, as her body grew tenser.

Then she was running from what she thought were Titans, trying to reach her family and friends – pre and post the pandemic – who were fading away into the distance, only to find herself in that fateful alley.

In an instant, Petra sprung forward, ignoring the many protest of her aching, wounded body.

Screaming. The sound of metal knives clanging as they collided. The sound of popping as knives punctured flesh, like someone was biting into an apple. More screaming. The sound of gunfire. More screaming, her own cries mixing with those from her attackers.

Then silence.

 _'Get it together, Petra.'_

 **Get it together!**

"Petra!" someone yelled, but she was too far gone to fathom who it was.

Then arms and warmth, holding her tightly, and forcefully. Petra could feel someone holding her from behind, but she honestly couldn't give a damn who at this point.

She was crying so hard it had become difficult to breathe, as her breaths became heaves and hiccups, and now Petra found something else to focus on.

"Calm down kid, you're okay," a voice reassured her, sternly yet gently. It was Levi. "Come back."

Hearing the commotion, some of the members came rushing down the stairs, startled to see the scene unfolding before them.

"What's going on?!" Farlan asked, moving toward them as the others began to filter in, but Levi halted him in his tracks.

"No, just us," he told him, he said over his shoulder as he turned Petra away from the others and crouched over her protectively, so that they wouldn't at least _see_ her crying.

They shared a look that spoke volumes, before Farlan caved, nodding once in understanding when he heard Petra's desperate crying.

"Alright. Need anything?" Farlan offered.

"Everyone out, and five minutes," Levi told the man, before adding. "I'll bring her back upstairs once she's calmed down-…" Levi looked at the blood seeing through the gauze on her hands, "…and to get patched up again."

…

In the end, Petra cried for a while longer than Levi's supposed five minutes.

However, the others knew better than to come back down stairs when he had explicitly told them he would handle it, and they trusted his judgement.

Levi had yet to release Petra from his embrace, still holding her firmly against him from behind.

He could feel every violent sob escape her body, and keeping her upright and her movements limited was all he could do to keep Petra from harming herself – without, of course, knocking he unconscious.

"You're okay, Petra," Levi repeated, over and over. "Calm down."

After what would be another five minutes or so, she started to, and Levi took her now more even breathing as a good sign.

"…I-I'm sorry!" Petra finally managed, speaking in in a tiny voice between little hiccupy sobs and gasps.

"Don't apologize. Just focus on your breathing for now. Match it with mine," Levi commanded. "We can talk once you've calmed down."

"…Okay," Petra agreed, tears still leaking down her face, and she was grateful for the privacy granted to her from the darkness of the room, lit faintly by the sole lamp she had brought with her.

Levi began to take slow, deep breaths from behind her, urging Petra to do the same.

It was only when her senses had begun to return to her that Petra truly realized his proximity, as she felt Levi's chest rise and fall against her back.

Deciding now was hardly the time to become flustered by something as impossible as her pathetic desire to be with him, Petra followed suit, and eventually matched her breathing to his own.

He was the leader of the Corps gang, and a good few years older than her, and while their slight difference in age could be forgotten easily enough with time, their ranks in the gang could not be.

They stayed like this for a while, just breathing.

It was Levi who broke the silence.

"…Hanji can patch you up again," he told her, releasing his hold of her waist with only one arm, to gently examine one of her now bloody hands in his own. "Let's get you upstairs."

As he began to stand up, Petra grabbed ahold of his free hand, of the one that had just held her own, reluctant to so easily let the comforting, grounding warmth of his body leave her just yet.

In his hand, hers was still shaking.

"Don't worry about what the others will think or say. They're as worried as you are about what just happened," Levi told her, pointedly holding her hand in his again, this time tighter than before, though he was still impossibly gentle in doing so. "We'll talk about this tomorrow," he promised.

In the darkness, Petra nodded, humming once in hesitant agreement, sounding tired, and defeated.

She made to stand up, but she just felt so tired. It was as if all of the adrenaline from before had faded away, replaced by the pain from her knuckles, her ribs and her legs, and her head. All Petra wanted to do right now…was sleep.

Seeing her struggle, Levi shifted behind her, maneuvering Petra in his arms. In the end, he held her in much the same way he had back in her gym, when he had caught her trying to re-bandage her shoulder in her supply room, like bride, with her gathered up in his arms.

Had she not been so exhausted, Petra would have protested and maybe blushed in embarrassment, just as she had back at the gym. But she doubted she had any strength left to climb the many flights of stairs back to her shared apartment with Ymir and Historia, and was thankful for Levi's help.

Petra found something soothing about the rocking feeling of his steps as Levi carried her upstairs, and how strong his body felt against her own, lean and hard with muscle. It made her feel safe, chasing away the ghosts of her past and letting her find at least some level of peace in the strength of his arms.

After a short eternity of distant voices and murmurs, and another flight or two of stairs, the arms around released her onto a soft bed, before pulling a thick comforter over her aching, bleeding body.

He knew it was probably a wasted effort, as Hanji would eventually have to remove the thick blanket to patch her up anyway, but the thought of Petra shivering alone until them made his heart clench.

"…thank you…and…I'm sorry," Petra managed to get out as the heavy steps began to retreat without her.

There was a pause, and Petra wondered of the steps had already left the room, so she almost gave up any hope of hearing a response.

Almost.

"Rest up, kid."

…

"So? What now?" Farlan asked the room, now full of their members, though he directed the question more at Levi.

"It's obvious now that she's suffering from some form of PTSD," Levi concluded, his gaze settling on the floor. "As for jobs, I think its best we assign them to her in small doses. Nothing as big as a smuggling job, or a planned encounter with any of our rival gangs in town. Last thing any of us needs is her having another episode in the middle of firefight, or if we venture outside the walls."

"…What could she have gone through to become so messed up?" Eren asked the room, looking down at the floor as if it would somehow answer him. He sat on a couch across from Levi, with Armin and Mikasa.

"You're one to talk, Yeager," Levi commented bluntly, knowing the teen in front of him had a temper as well.

But there was a big difference between Eren and Petra, he noticed. Eren had a grudge against Titans, understandably, and whenever he went off, it was out of pure anger.

Petra, on the other hand, was more afraid of people, rather than angry at Titans, and snapped because of her intense fear of what might befall her should she hold anything back, and lose.

Then Levi's expression darkened. "She told me back when we first met that she use to live in another sect of this District. She was jumped in an alley. Apparently, one of the thugs had been a pregnant woman."

Levi said no more, letting the others put two and two together, about what Petra must have done to survive.

Eren had some serious anger management issues, granted, but he was – for the most part anyway – able to channel his anger in a semi-constructive way, such as killing Titans or in combat with other people.

"Man…I had no idea," Ymir mused. She was holding Historia, who had begun to cry for their friend. "I mean, we went through some shit after we lost Marco and got separated from Petra, but we got by."

"Makes me feel kind of guilty," Reiner began. "To think that she had to go through that all by herself. Like, where the hell were we?"

"…It was obvious that Petra wasn't the same person we left on that rooftop. I knew that much as soon as we saw her again," Historia said, sniffling and trying in vain to hold back the tears already spilling onto her face. "Her smile seems kind of forced now, and her eyes look dead sometimes, like she's thinking of something really sad."

"…I haven't heard her sing once since she's come here. I know it's only been two weeks, but still," Jean stated, before chuckling sarcastically, in a way that only Jean could. "We could hardly get her to shut up before."

"The younger kids in our group loved her, though. Petra was like a big sister to them," Reiner reminisced, looking down at the floor, remembering old times.

Levi listened as Petra's oldest friends talked on and on about the girl that once was. He was intrigued, as he learned more and more about their newest member, who was sleeping just a few floors above him.

"She must be going crazy," Jean stated suddenly, "not being able to draw or paint. She would crank out something every couple of days when she was with us."

"Would that be a good outlet for her maybe?" Ymir offered.

"You mean like a diary?" Armin asked, knowing were Ymir was going with this.

"Well where the heck do we find her paper and something to draw with?" Jean butt in. "It's not like we can drive down to the local crafts store and get her a little paint-by-number coloring book and art supplies."

"Okay, I get the point you're trying to make, but is the sarcasm really necessary?" Eren snapped, hating the way Jean always seemed to kill the mood by being such an ass.

"You want some of this, Yeager?!" Jean yelled back, standing up angrily.

"Some of what? You're twisted personality? Thanks, but I'll pass," Eren retorted, standing up as well, and stalking towards Jean.

"OI!" Levi yelled as the two had each other by the collar of their shirts, effectively silencing the both of them, before hurling each of them back onto the couch roughly. "Knock it off, brats."

Then silence overcame the room again, as many members feared doing or saying anything that might set their leader off any more than he already was. Eventually, though, Historia offered to go upstairs and be with Petra, followed by Ymir.

The meeting downstairs continued for a while longer. Once everyone unanimously decided to sleep on the issue at hand, and deal with it more tomorrow, Levi ventured upstairs to Petra's shared apartment unit. He knocked.

"Yeah?" Ymir had answered groggily through the door, her voice muffled by the walls and her tiredness.

"Me. I'm coming in," Levi stated rather than asked.

"Sure," Ymir acknowledged as he let himself in. "Just keep it down. They finally fell asleep."

Ymir was laying on one of the larger beds in their smaller living room, leaning against a wall and covered in a blanket. In the center of the same bed lay Historia and Petra, who clung to one another as they slept, as if the other was a stuffed animal.

From what little of Petra's face he could see, as she was all but buried in pillows and blankets in a sort of fortress, Petra was still crying, even in her sleep. But she seemed marginally more relaxed, and almost peaceful, than she had been a few hours prior.

Levi's eyes lingered on Petra for a long moment, before he tore his gaze away, and exchanged a look with Ymir.

"Don't worry. I've got this," Ymir told him, her tone now serious, and not sounding even a bit tired.

Levi nodded once, trusting that she did, and after stealing one last glance at Petra, he exited the room.

Ymir looked once at the door, and then at Petra, then back and forth again, before smirking knowingly.

"You've got twisted taste in men, Petra."


	21. Chapter 21

**Author's Note: 'Sup** ** _~Dreamers_** **! So I keep getting all these spontaneous ideas for cool fanfictions I want to write, but I'm not sure I can handle 3 stories at once JUST yet.**

 **I felt like the cut off point for the last chapter was kind of abrupt, which drove me to write this extra chapter so soon! (you're welcome** ** _~Dreamers_** **!) That little bit with Ymir at the end was literally thrown in at the last minute, but I thought the chapter was in need of a little more dialogue and figured one line or two could make all the difference! Us artists pay close attention to the minute, often extremely unimportant details, you see. *nods head in affirmative***

 **I own nothing of AOT/SNK except my own sh*t and ideas!**

 **Enjoy,** ** _~Dreamers_** **!**

* * *

Petra was the first to wake the next morning, and she was surprised to find someone curled up against her. Historia's limbs were entangled with her own, though only because Petra was the one who must have sleep-grabbed her.

She had always been a tosser, but during nights she felt the most alone or stressed out or afraid, Petra would cling desperately to whatever it was she was sleeping with. She would make almost a nest before she went to bed, out of pillows and blankets all tucked around her, even piled on top of her, while she buried herself beneath them. The contact made her feel like there was someone sleeping beside her, and therefore less alone.

All of them, Petra, Historia, Ymir and even the guys had taken to sleeping in a big pile back in the day, when there group had been full of Titan-orphaned children. It was only after Petra had been separated from them all that she started to cling desperately to the objects around her for comfort in her sleep, as she tried to replicate the security of knowing that a friend was close by, and that you were not alone.

Careful not to wake Historia, or Ymir who was passed out nearby, Petra slowly disentangled herself from Historia, and stood up from their shared bed. The metal springs of the mattress squeaked loudly, and Petra was sure that they would give her away, but the light snoring sound of Ymir and Historia's breathing told her she had - thankfully - not woken them.

Petra wanted to take this chance to get her thoughts straight about what happened yesterday, and was not sure if she could face her friends just yet.

* * *

She was sore all over.

Her head and ribs from where Annie had nailed her, all of her muscles, her shins for kicking at her makeshift punching bag, her shoulder was also still killing her, but most of all, her knuckles.

Petra remembered vaguely throwing herself at the punching bag in a broken rage. Even though it happened only yesterday, to Petra, it felt like it was so long ago. It was like a distant, fading memory, where she was more of a spectator to her own actions, rather than a participant, and this detachment from reality, however slight it was, terrified Petra.

Just when the hell had she become such a masochistic, self-destructive adrenaline junky?

Letting the pain from her wounds distract her from her mind's inner turmoil, Petra wandered into the bathroom of her and the girls' flat. She lit a candle, as it was still before dawn, and dipped a dry cloth into a pale of clean water to wet it, and wash up a bit. The bandages on her head and hands both needed to be changed, as she was beginning to bleed through them already.

She couldn't bring herself to look at her reflection in the mirror, afraid of what she might see, and not wanting to see how horrible she no doubt looked.

Wandering back into what had become her room, and away from her still sleeping friends, Petra found her backpack, and dug around in it for a fresh pair of clothes. She found a pair of tight-fitting black sweatpants, and dark, thick, fuzzy socks. Her only remaining clean shirts were all tank tops, forcing her Petra to don her last long sleeved shirt, which was a deep, dark earthy green.

Feeling it was finally time to start wearing a bra again, as the bandages around her torso did little in the way of holding her breasts in place, though it pained her shoulder when she tried to fasten it.

Since Petra didn't even have a brush of her own, and had no idea where the others had put the one they had used on her earlier, so she just ran her fingers through her hair to untangle it best she could. Finding a black hat laying on Ymir's bed, Petra decided to borrow it, hoping to hide the bandages on her head, and make her wounds look less noticeable, and therefore less dramatic.

Feeling somewhat satisfied with her attempt to look at least halfway decent, Petra snuck downstairs to grab her now clean brown jacket, compliments of Hanji. She couldn't help but wince a little as she pulled it on, as her muscles were still pretty stiff and sore from the matches, and her lethal training session with the innocent punching bag.

Grabbing her boots, Petra snuck back upstairs, glad that she had not yet run into anyone. She had no idea what the heck she would do if she did. Would she run away? Would she start to violently cry right then and there, and break down in front of them? Petra didn't know.

She climbed a few flights of stairs, until she reached the top floor. Petra searched for a way up to the roof, finally finding the right one at the end of the corridor.

At least, she thought it was.

Thinking back now, the sheer cleanliness and shine of the door knob should have given it away just whose room she was about to waltz into.

Without much hesitation, Petra turned the knob, briskly burst through the door. But what she saw on the other side was not a set of stairs leading up to the roof.

Instead, it was Levi's shirtless form that greeted her, his olive skin illuminated by the faint yellow glow of candlelight.

He looked up at her suddenly, his steely grey eyes wide with surprise, having not inspected anyone to just walk in on him like that, least of all Petra.

Had it been anyone else, he would've most likely snapped at them in annoyance and sentenced them to some sort of cleaning punishment. But this was Petra, and he doubted she was the type to just walk in on someone like that without so much as knocking.

"-Uh! S-Sorry! Not the roof, got it!" and with that she hurriedly turned to leave, her face contorted with embarrassment as she tightly closed her eyes and turned away from him.

But his hand quickly caught her wrist, firmly holding her in place as he finished pulling on his clean white shirt.

"Relax, kid. It was an accident. Get over it," Levi commanded. Then his gaze softened a bit, and he lowered his voice. "Is that why you're up so early?" he inquired, taking in her attire, and the pair of boots in her free hand.

Unable to compose herself enough to speak just yet, Petra nodded furiously, looking anywhere but at Levi.

"The door to the roof is around the corner, chained up. No one can get in or out without a key," he informed her plainly.

"Oh…," Petra managed, feeling dumb for not considering that it may have been sealed off to keep out Titans that may breech the district's Walls, as well as intruders.

"Here," was all Levi said, releasing his hold on her wrist. He walked over to the nightstand beside his bed, which was perfectly made, Petra noticed. He opened the drawer and pulled out a ring of keys, before taking one off. After putting the keys back in the drawer, he made his way back to where Petra stood, and placed the key in her hand.

"For the roof?" Petra guessed, her voice surprising her as it cracked awkwardly midsentence, not having used it in several hours, as she had just woken up.

Levi nodded. Then he noticed the lack of bandages on Petra's knuckles, which were starting to bleed again. He looked up at her, raising an eyebrow, and obviously wanting an explanation.

"Yeah, uh…they were hurting a lot so I thought I'd run up to the roof to grab some snow…You know, to ice them a bit," Petra told him lamely, though she was impressed with her on the spot lie and actually thought she might…now that she thought about it.

"And?" Levi urged, seeing through her easily, and doubting that icing her hands was the only reason she sought to escape to what was sure to be miserable temperatures, though he already knew the answer.

He was testing her, to see if she would blatantly lie to him again.

To both their surprise, Petra conceded, and told him the truth. She said that she needed to see the sky, and let the freezing air outside remind her that she was alive. Petra told him that by immersing her senses in nature, it helps to ground her, especially after a breakdown.

"…So this isn't the first time?" Levi concluded, hating the thought of her screaming and crying and hurting herself as she vented her anger alone, which she more than likely did from time to time, back at her gym. For six months, she had no one to hold her down until she calmed down.

Levi studied her hand once again in his. He had been down there in the basement with her through the entire ordeal, and had ended her helpless fit of rage and anguish quickly enough, before she could do too much damage to herself. Even if it hadn't been him who had restrained her, the others surely would have heard her screams from upstairs, and come rushing.

But what sort of wounds had Petra sustained all those months she had been alone in her gym, with no one to stop her before things got out of hand?

Unwillingly, images of Petra beating her limbs raw against a back flitted through his head. He imagined her slender wrists and hands and legs begin to bruise and bleed out, as she fell to the ground in mental and physical despair, before eventually fainting from blood loss and exhaustion.

He imagined her picking herself up off of the floor the next day, puffy face and all, trying to find a reason to keep on living. Or maybe it would've taken her several days, while she lay there starving.

As if sensing his inner turmoil, Petra opened her mouth to speak again and change the subject, but Levi spoke first.

"The door leading to the roof is this way," he told her, pulling her by her wrist to follow behind him.

Petra said nothing, her voice beginning to leave her again as tears welled up in her eyes, and she instead chose to focus on the warmth of his hand, his clean, musky smell…

It didn't take them long to reach the door, where Levi then turned to face Petra, taking a step toward her, and forcing her up against a wall while he leaned over her. One of his hands extended to rest on the wall beside her face, while his other still clutched at her wrist.

He had her full attention.

"When you're done up there, get Hanji to redo the bandages on your hands," his eyes wandered to Petra's forehead, where the white gauze peeked out from beneath it, "and your head."

Petra nodded, unable to hide the blush that crept up to her ears.

"After that, you're going with me on a supply run in town," he told her rather than asked, and Petra didn't complain, grateful for the distraction. Then he released her from the cage of his body, standing up straight. "…Say something, kid."

"Like what?" she asked, afraid that if she looked up at him that the tears in her eyes might spill onto her face.

"What are you thinking about right now?" he pressed, though his voice was so quiet, it was almost a whisper.

"…Everything," she answered honestly, before finally finding the courage to look him in the eye, or maybe, it was courage she was hoping to find by looking him in the eye.

And just as she predicted, the tears were starting to fall. Though she kept her face neutral enough, her eyes were pleading.

"What is it?" Levi asked her, searching her amber eyes, and coming so close to her they were almost touching.

"Aren't we…going to talk about what happened last night?" Petra asked, holding her sides nervously, as if in doing so she could keep herself from falling apart. "I'm sure I freaked everyone out."

"We will," Levi promised her, "once you've had a chance to process things. Yeah, expect some stares, but I made it clear to everyone not to bug you about it until you're ready to talk."

"…Thank you," Petra said gratefully, a small smile tugging at her lips.

"I'll be downstairs. Come down when you're ready, and lock up after you're done," he told her, before giving her a once over. "And dress warmer next time."


	22. Chapter 22

**Author's Note: (Please excuse my excessive cursing, but this story is rated T I think, so I'm sure my swearing is nothing you guys haven't heard before) So my Monday was a bit crazy. After freaking out thinking I had an essay due in my English class, I was thrown into a slight mental breakdown for a good hour after. However, my dumb ass had forgotten that** ** _I had already turned the fucker in last week_** **– the day it was actually due, and the papers he was collecting today were late work. But I didn't figure this out until about five hours later when I checked online, which meant that I went to history almost in tears, where I had to leave class and run to the bathroom once I reached my breaking point.**

 **I'm usually a pretty chill person, so it kind of surprised me that I reacted so dramatically.**

 **But a few weeks ago I had a PowerPoint presentation for this same teacher on Gothic Literature, and someone told me that it was a holiday, so I stayed home. My teacher probably thought that I was skipping or something to finish up my presentation, but after embarrassing me in front of my peers boasting that it was 'no excuse' and that I 'couldn't present,' he decided to 'use me as an example' and let me present anyway. It was humiliating.**

 **Which is why I freaked out at the thought of him looking through the pile of essays, and calling out the names of those who didn't turn anything in. I survived the hour without incident, but as soon he dismissed us, I started shaking like a friggn' Chihuahua (I have one, and they really do shake). I think the stress got to me.**

 **Then I had to go to work. I normally don't work on my school days, but I offered to cover my friend's shift at work. It was just a little five hour shift, from 3-8pm, but when I was about to leave, one of my bosses called me into the office. I was like 'Oh shit, what did I do now!' T^T**

 **-** **à** **Turns out: I've been voted employee of the month! I'm allowed one free meal a day during my shifts (I work at McDonalds), was handed $25 in cash (I have no idea what that translates to in all of you're currencies), and I think I get a .25cent raise as well.**

 **Karma. Is. A. Thing! (Even the good kind!)**

 **Have a nice day ~Dreamers! And don't take any shit from anyone!**

 **Enjoy,** **mother fuckers** **~Dreamers! xD**

 **Please Review!**

* * *

The morning was frigid, but the sky was clear, and Petra was glad that it was. She didn't know what she would have if it had been cloudy and sleeting, especially after the dramatic line she said to Levi about wanting to see the sky.

Her cheeks burned as she thought of it now, as she realized just how stupid she must have sounded to him.

Then her thoughts drifted back to Levi, despite her supposedly coming outside to clear her head about her panic attack from yesterday. Still, Petra would rather think of Levi than of how pathetic she felt after having such a breakdown, and she was beyond thankful that Levi had done his best to keep the whole thing under wraps. Not that the others didn't know. You would have been deaf to not have heard all of that flailing and screaming.

She cringed inwardly, and shivered a bit from the cold.

How could she face everyone now?

If the state of the world wasn't what it was today, Petra wondered if her parents would have sent her off to some sort of therapy. She'd probably be asked to lay out her life to some stranger while they sat in an expensive looking chair in a fancy office and quietly judge how mentally unstable she was, before prescribing a bunch of meds that would supposedly help her cope. Or maybe she could just smoke some weed when her parents weren't home to help her chill out like some of those delinquent teens she went to school with.

At this, Petra laughed at herself, knowing full well she would never willingly resort to that last option, even if she knew where the heck to get the stuff in the first place, which she certainly didn't, nor did she want to know.

When she shivered again, Petra realized she was starting to lose some feeling in her fingers. She hadn't even bothered to ice them, as she had become too lost in her thoughts. Feeling that the snow wasn't going anywhere for at least another few days, Petra opted not to shove her hands in the mounds of snow around her just yet.

She went back inside the hideout, locking the rooftop door behind her. She wondered if Levi wanted the key back right away, but figured if he trusted her enough to lend it to her in the first place, then she could just give it to him later.

Deciding to take Levi's advice, and dress a little heavier, Petra ventured back into her and the girl's flat to throw on a few more layers, and finally redress the bandages on her head, hands, shins, and ribs.

Hanji had knocked on the door to check on Petra and bring her fresh gauze to dress her wounds, and Historia and Ymir had hugged her hard, both still half asleep, before the two comically stumbled downstairs for breakfast.

"I feel like the punching bag downstairs," Petra commented as Hanji finished tying off the last of her bandages, feeling ridiculously sore now that the cold had really woken her up.

"You don't have to come with us if you don't want to," Hanji offered. "Levi's beyond moody, but he isn't a drill sergeant – usually. I'm sure he'd let you stay behind if you wanted to rest up some more."

"Thanks, but if I sit around much longer I'm gonna go insane. I feel like all I've been doing for the last month is eating, sleeping, and laying around," Petra winced again as she pulled her shirts back over her head, both hers, and another Ymir had lent her.

"I get it that you wanna start pulling your weight again, but you really took some beatings yesterday. That on top of-"

"I know. You don't have to say it," Petra cut Hanji off, not wanting to bring up her episode in the basement. "Any extra pain I'm in right now I brought on myself. Sitting around licking my wounds like some kicked puppy isn't going to make me feel any better. I need to go out for a bit."

Hanji smiled a bit sadly, and sighed in defeat, the girl's stubbornness reminding her of someone.

"Alright, alright, but if you think you wanna go back early or something-"

Petra glared at the woman, as if daring her to continue with the subject.

At this, Hanji threw her hands up in the air in mock surrender, and followed Petra downstairs.

To Petra's horror, she found that even holding her spoon was painful.

She tried her best to hide the fact that she was struggling to feed herself without showing just how much pain that she was in, and remembered Hanji saying something earlier about having possibly broken a few of her knuckles.

Petra hated to admit that she was right, but couldn't deny the idea now, as she fought to feed herself without spilling soup onto herself like a messy child.

The entire gang was eating by the fire in the living room, and almost every eye in the room looked up at her when Petra entered the room. Some people stared at her for a solid moment before returning their attention back to the hot plates of food in front of them, but the gazes of most of them left her as soon as they had found her.

It was awkward, to be sure, but she could tell that they were doing their best not to make her feel too uncomfortable, and given the current situation, Petra was happy at their attempt for normalcy.

Her eyes found Levi's, as he was sitting in a wooden chair by the fire, an empty bowl of soup set neatly on the floor beside him.

They exchanged a nod, acknowledging the presence of the other.

Historia and Ymir had saved her a spot on the couch, and Petra was glad that she would not be joining any of the others sitting on the floor, or leaning against a wall, especially with how sore she still was. One of the guys had brought Petra her food.

"Um…Petra?" Armin asked carefully, not really sure how to approach the subject.

"What is it?" Petra asked, hoping that he wasn't about to bring up her little episode in the basement, by welcoming any possible distraction from the pain. She kept her face neutral, not wanting to accuse the boy of anything until she heard him out.

"Is there a reason why you're glaring at your soup?" Jean asked. "I mean it's not great, but it's way better than rations."

At this, Petra put down her spoon, and let her steaming bowl rest in her lap.

"It's…kind of hard to eat," she admitted after a minute, sighing in defeat. "My hands are really sore."

"Shall we feed you-?" Jean teased, and Petra quickly shot him down.

"I'd rather starve, thanks," she said, dead panning.

"You can just drink it from the bowl if you want. We won't judge you for it or anything," Eren assured her. Beside him, Mikasa nodded silently in agreement.

"Thanks guys," Petra smiled sheepishly, before tilting her bowl back and abandoning her spoon.

She could feel Levi's eyes from where he sat across from her, watching her with worry as she ate. He had always been a stickler for manners, but agreed that this situation warranted it, and he let the matter slide.

Then his eyes traveled to her hands, which he noticed now were shaking, as she trembled in pain.

"So," Farlan began, getting everyone's attention. "What's on the agenda for today?"

Levi ripped his gaze away from Petra, before answering.

"We need to gather supplies in town. Our main priorities are food, water, medicine and medical supplies, and any gear you find that may be useful," Levi told the room. "We'll split off into groups. Hanji, Farlan and I will be the leaders of each squad. Jean, Historia, Eren, and Petra," he looked pointedly at her, "you're all with me. Mikasa, Ymir, Connie, and Reiner will be in Hanji's group. Armin, Bertholdt, Sasha, and Annie, you guys are going with Farlan. I expect all of you to do follow your squad leader's orders. If I hear of any incidents, there _will_ be hell to pay."

"YES!" the room agreed in unison, before slamming their chests with their fists in a sort of salute.

Petra had already been thinking that the whole display had felt like some sort of military briefing, and the salute had been the icing on the cake. She made a mental note to ask someone what it meant later.

* * *

Then everyone started getting ready. Members all across the room readied ammunition for their guns, before holstering them on their belts, or within their jackets. Everyone was packing, but made a point to keep their weapons hidden, so as not to give away that they were so heavily armed, or flaunt their obvious power.

Petra hid several small knives all over her body. One in each of her boots, another at her side, attached to her belt, opposite her small handgun, as well as one she decided to strap to her wrist.

Still not quite satisfied with her arsenal, Petra briefly excused herself, saying that she needed to grab something upstairs – her bow.

Shrugging off her coat, Petra slung both her bow as well as some arrows across her back, before pulling her coat on once again, and effectively concealing the additional weapons.

She hurried downstairs, where the others had nearly finished making their preparations. Petra wandered over to where Levi and her group were standing.

"What did you forget?" Eren asked curiously.

In answer, Petra turned her head slightly, and pulled back her fluffy brown hood to reveal some of her arrows, and the tip of her bow.

"When did you pick that up?" Jean inquired, his tone annoyingly sarcastic, but Petra was use to it.

"Found it in some apartment units, just outside the District Walls," she answered plainly.

"Will you be able to draw it back?" Historia asked with concern, worried for her still injured friend.

"We'll see," Petra smiled sheepishly, unsure herself, but knowing she'd find the strength to should push come to shove, if a little pain was the price for one of her friend's lives.

Then Petra's eyes found Levi, who was watching her intently, as she interacted with the others.

There was a moment when their eyes met, as they silently studied the other.

"Ready?" he said aloud to the group, but Levi never looked away from Petra.

"Ready," Petra answered, her reply a second later than the rest of her squads.'


	23. Chapter 23

**Author's Note: Well my Spring Break is next week, so maybe some St. Patrick's Day leprechaun - lol when I spell checked leprechaun,** ** _lubricant_** **came up! X'D - will give me some sort of magical inspiration that will end my writer's block with my Ghost Hunt fic. Hope no one that's Irish is in any way offended by that last sentence, though now that I read it, I'm not really sure how it can be taken as offensive, but people are weird, so sorry for the sake of keeping the peace!**

 **This chapter turned out to be pretty long, so enjoy** ** _~Dreamers_** **!**

* * *

The winter air was cold as it hit Petra's skin, assaulting her senses, and finding its way chill every inch of her skin that wasn't heavily covered. Still, the cold brought her mind back to the present, and helped her ignore the aches and pains of her body, and Petra was glad for it.

It had been almost two weeks since she had come back to Stohess District, and nearly a month since she had really been outside. She was beginning to get cabin fever.

She breathed in the sights and sounds of the city around her, taking in the nature about her. The hordes of people grew increasingly denser, as they reached the heart of the city of Stohess.

Levi led the group, flanked by Eren and Jean, while Petra hung back a little with Historia, still getting her bearings.

Every so often Levi would glance back at Petra to check up on her, pretending to stay vigilant of their surroundings, even though it had become second nature for him to do so already.

She was getting jumpier, twitching at every unfamiliar or sudden sound like a feral animal. He thought she reminded him of a cat, or a squirrel, and might have found it cute, had Petra not looked so terrified.

"Let's hit the market first, see what we can trade. Stay alert," Levi ordered, and to Petra, his stern voice was like an anchor, and kept her from drifting away, and drowning in a world full of her own paranoid insanity.

"Hey," Historia whispered to her friend, so that the others wouldn't overhear.

"Yeah?" Petra managed, her voice cracking, and sounding so unlike her.

"Relax. Everything is going to be alright. You're with us now. You're safe. Okay?"

Petra fought back tears, knowing that Historia was right.

"Thanks, Krista," Petra whispered back gratefully, using the nickname she had given Historia when they had first met, nearly a year and a half ago now.

"Krista?" Eren asked in confusion, having inadvertently overheard their conversation, which meant that the others must have, too.

"Man, that takes me back" Jean reminisced, before telling Eren and Levi how Petra's nickname came about.

For whatever reason, Petra had a lot of trouble remembering her name for a solid couple of weeks, and since some of the younger kids in their group had trouble pronouncing 'Historia,' Petra's nickname Krista just sort of stuck, as it was much easier for the younger kids to pronounce – and for Petra to remember. Not that Historia minded in the least, in fact, she found it kind of cute, and quickly took to her new name.

"I've never heard anyone call Historia _that_ before," Eren stated matter of factly as they walked further into town. "Why'd you guys stop calling her that?"

"It wasn't the same without Petra," Historia answered honestly. After we got separated, the others just sort of stopped calling me by that name. It was like she was there, but wasn't, you know?"

"Aw, you missed me that much guys?" Petra teased, hugging Historia close and squeezing the life out of the poor girl – who was even smaller than Petra was - all the while pointedly keeping her distance from Jean, who no doubt would've loved to be clobbered by any girl.

Levi watched as Petra curled her arms around her friend in an affectionate hug, and something about their intimate body language - however innocent it was - made him feel slightly annoyed, and he wasn't sure why.

His eyes traveled down to her gloved hands, seeing that she had chosen to go with her fingerless ones, which were much easier to fight in should she have to, and made loading guns and setting arrows that much easier.

But he felt that Petra still looked tense, as if she were forcing herself to be cheerful for the sake of her friends. The slight shaking of her hands gave her away.

"Oi, brats, enough messing around. We're heading into the market soon. Stay alert," Levi reminded them all, hating to see Petra's forced smile, and also hating to be the bad guy for ruining their fun, but knew someone had to keep everyone in line.

After winding through countless alleyways, they turned a few corners, and the market appeared before them.

To Petra's horror, there were nearly a hundred people crammed into the narrow street. Goods were spread out across blankets on the ground or on tables, as their owners tried to sell or trade things for them.

Levi watched as her expression underwent several transformations, as Petra's hazel eyes sparkled in fear, before losing some of their light and clouding over, as she began to detach herself from reality, and put up a sort of mental barrier to keep herself sane.

Levi took a hesitant yet sure step towards her, causing Petra to take one back. He took another towards her, and another, effectively backing her up against the brick wall of a crumbling building.

He leaned in until their faces were inches apart.

"Don't do that," he commanded her, looking at her intently, and placing two gentle, yet firm hands on either of her shoulders, hoping to ground her with the contact.

Petra flinched a little at the sudden contact, feeling the warmth of Levi's hands through her heavy jacket. Slowly, her intentionally dulled senses began to return, and sharpen. She looked up at him, and the light in her golden eyes had returned, a fire ignited within her irises.

"Sorry," _damnit, stop apologizing!_ "I'm okay now. Let's just…hurry."

Levi nodded, before releasing her from the cage of his arms, though she lingered closer to him then she had before when she walked with Historia, feeling a strange, comforting security by his presence.

Eren, Jean, and Historia had all watched their exchange in awe, not knowing that their forceful leader, who had physically beat some sense into all of them at some point, was actually capable of being so gentle.

Both Eren and Jean had been entirely oblivious to the intimacy of the exchange, chalking it all up as typical Levi behavior, and thinking that all of it had simply been their leader giving their fellow member a down-to-Earth pep talk.

But Historia had blushed at the way Levi was looking at her friend, hit by a sudden revelation she doubted Levi or Petra had realized themselves, and knew she was going to tell Ymir about it the first chance she got.

Petra turned her attention to the stands, and then to Levi. She was fairly good at negotiating where deals were concerned, but other than a few extra knives and the gear she had on her, Petra had nothing of real value to offer, apart from her jacket, shoes, and the weapons they were all trying to conceal, so as not to incite fear.

She waited to see how Levi and the others would trade, as they at least had ration cards from the military, the promise of food enough to get practically anything from anyone these days, just like money once had done.

After Levi brusquely but efficiently traded a week's worth of rations cards to a peddler for some medicine, consisting of pills like antibiotics and fever-reducing painkillers, Petra desperately thought of ways she could be of use, especially since she had almost nothing to trade.

Then she came across one stand in particular, or rather blanket, which was spread out across the frigid sidewalk, Petra made her way over to it, being sure to stay within sight of the others – within shouting range.

The stand was manned by an elderly woman with a sickly looking child. Her grandson perhaps? Petra didn't have the heart to ask.

She was selling herbs of some sort, but mostly they were spices. They would have been nice, she thought, to add a little flavor to their food once in a while, just as she had with some of the spices from her greenhouse. She even had some tea.

But when Petra thought of what Levi would consider a necessity, she doubted such a buy would be very tactful.

Though it pained her to do so, she pulled her eyes away from the stand, and onto the next, knowing that she couldn't possibly trade with everyone in the market.

The next stand was selling shoes. For now, hers would last her, and she already had a backup pair of boots at the hideout, plus even more back at her gym. She thought about getting shoes for the others, but Petra hadn't the slightest clue of their shoes sizes.

The third stand she came upon made Petra's heart catch in her throat.

They were selling flashlights, rechargeable batteries, and even entire charging stations you could plug your electronics into, and manually crank with a handle to do so. There were so many, she thought, surely one of them would be able to charge her phone.

"Something catch your eye?" Levi asked all of a sudden, appearing at her side with practically no warning at all.

"Nothing I need," Petra admitted.

"Anything you want?" he rephrased, sensing that there was something she wasn't telling him, and he could see that it was eating at her. He followed her gaze down to the electronics on the blanket before her.

"What about you? Find anything good, besides the pills I mean," she deflected, trying to change the subject, and looking over his shoulder at Jean and Eren bickering in the street over who got better supplies, while Historia tried to calm the two.

"Some other medical supplies, and a few halfway decent knives. Eren and Horseface are _supposed to be_ finding us some food," Levi said loud enough that they could hear, making them instantly cease their petty fight, "but it looks like we missed the meat today. Apparently it got cleaned out earlier this morning. We'll have to come back tomorrow if we don't find enough food for everyone today."

"What about hunters?" Petra asked. Surely someone in the whole city managed to catch _something_ edible, she hoped.

"Due to this friggn' weather, the hunters in town have only managed to catch a few small animals lately and only the stupid ones venture out past the walls to try and catch bigger game."

"…I might be able to catch something," Petra offered hesitantly, embarrassed that she was once one of the 'stupid hunters' - as Levi had so eloquently put it - who hunted beyond the Walls. However, in Petra's case, she didn't exactly have a choice to be smart.

"You know a place?" Levi asked immediately, jumping at the chance for food, however slight it may have been. Petra nodded.

"Let's go to the outskirts of town, where there's less people. All the noise from the crowd and the scent of humans are probably scaring away all the animals," Petra told him.

In answer, Levi called the others over, deciding they had gathered what they could for the time being, and knowing that they could take inventory when they returned to the hideout.

* * *

All of them wondered what Petra could possibly hunt within the Walls. If it was that easy, then any game would've been hunted to extinction by now.

Petra lead the way, now starting to remember the alleys of the town she had promised to meet her friends, failing to for months.

There were other things, though, that she was also starting to remember.

In this town, she had been jumped and beaten within an inch of her life. In this town, she had killed for the first time, no longer accompanied by the safety of numbers. From this town, she had fled the people who had hurt her, and broken her trust.

But it was also in this town, that she had found her friends, and even made new ones.

"You okay, kid?" Levi asked from behind her, but so softly so that the others would not overhear them. He also noted that she wasn't clinging to Historia like she had been before, seeking comfort in the friend she had known the longest out of all the others with them – which is why he picked the shrimp in the first place. "You got quiet."

"Just remembering old times, that's all," Petra had told him, her eyes scanning the streets for familiar landmarks, but not for a second did he believe that anything going through her head right then was just 'that's all.' "We're almost there. Just a few more blocks and-"

The lingering snow mounds shoveled off to the sides of the street were melting in the sun, where the water had spilled into the street and frozen overnight, making walking hazardous, as one had to dodge the icy patches that lined the road.

Petra had failed to dodge one such patch, and the slush had sent her careening into Levi, who had thankfully been able to prevent her fall. He caught Petra on either side of her hips to steady her from behind, while Jean had laughed at her clumsiness, and the cute noise she had squeaked out of surprise, earning him a menacing glare from Levi.

"You okay?" Historia had asked in concern, but Petra had shaken it off.

"Yeah, sorry for the scare. It wasn't my knees this time, I just slipped," she laughed, embarrassed.

In response to her comment, Levi's eyes traveled down to Petra's knees.

"So is this the spot?" Eren had asked, changing the subject back to food.

Petra looked around them for a moment, spotting a dead powerline full of birds.

"This should be good enough," Petra confirmed, still blushing slightly from her contact with Levi. Then she began shrugging off her coat, revealing her bow and arrows, before handing it off to Historia. "Hold this for a sec?"

"Sure, but what are you gonna try to shoot with that shoulder?" the blond girl asked her friend with concern.

Petra pointed up at the powerline full of birds, before readying her bow and arrows.

"No way in Hell! I know you were always a pretty decent shot with that thing and all, but those birds are small. Even if you managed to hit one, the others would probably just fly away-"

"Jean, I don't think she can hear you," Eren cut in.

"-it's all just a waste of time- wait, what?! Where did she go?"

Eren pointed to a nearby building, whose fire escape ladders Petra was currently climbing.

"We have to be really quiet now," Historia warned them. "Any sudden sound will scare them off, and we only have a few shots before they all fly away."

Jean scoffed at the polite wording Historia had used basically telling him to shut up, and reluctantly did so.

All of them watched as Petra reached the top of the building, and got into position near a ledge, aligning herself with the powerlines, instead of facing them head on.

Carefully, she pulled out an arrow. Petra took a breath, bracing herself for the pain she was surely about to feel.

Quickly, so as not to prolong the throbbing aches now ambushing her bruised ribs and still-healing shoulder, Petra took aim, and another slow, deep breath.

She released her breath in the same second she let her arrow fly, successfully piercing not one or two birds, but three at once, stringing them along the wood of the weapon that had impaled them, which lodged itself into the building opposite her.

Jean, Eren, and Historia couldn't help but contain their excitement, yelling out in awe and excitement, while Levi stood behind the three with wide eyes. From atop the building, he could tell that Petra was smiling, proud of herself, and reveling in her moment.

He smirked himself, but his own smile was short lived, once he saw Petra's beautiful smile quickly fade away.

It was replaced by the seriousness and focus of the next round of shots she was about to take, and Levi found himself wanting to make her smile return, and last far longer than it had this time.

Petra did this a few more times, repositioning herself atop several of the surrounding buildings to make each shot. She managed to catch one bird for everyone in the hideout, though some were fatter than others.

Petra decided the others could fight over who gets the biggest one later, and she sorely descended back down to her friends, who had collected her kills while she had continued to shoot.

Eren had begged to know how she did it and furiously asked for pointers on her technique. Jean had thought she was almost as goddess-like as Mikasa, and was at a loss for words, though he tried to act smug, as if he had predicted the outcome all along, his arrogance causing a minor fight with Eren. Historia had looked at her friend with nothing short of awe, wondering just when Petra had become such a great shot, and if she could ever measure up.

They had patted her on the back and hugged her, but Levi had told them all to shut up, and not announce to the world that they had food. Stashing the birds into their respective packs, they made their way back to their hideout, taking roundabout routes to avoid prying eyes, and from being followed.

Petra waited patiently for Levi's words of praise, her eyes meeting his in anticipation.

In response to this, he smiled weakly, an action that set every vein in Petra's body on ablaze, burning color into her fair cheeks.

"You did good, kid."

The others hadn't heard his reply, still making quite the commotion, but his words rang in her ears, and echoed in her mind.


	24. Chapter 24

**Author's Note: 'Sup** ** _~Dreamers_** **! So I keep getting all these spontaneous ideas for cool fanfictions I want to write, but I'm not sure I can handle 3 or more stories all at once JUST yet, at least not until summer or something.**

 **I felt like the cut off point for the last chapter was kind of abrupt, which drove me to write this extra chapter so soon! (you're welcome** ** _~Dreamers_** **!) That little bit with Ymir at the end was literally thrown in at the last minute, but I thought the chapter was in need of a little more dialogue and figured one line or two could make all the difference! Us artists pay close attention to the minute, often extremely unimportant details, you see. *nods head in affirmative***

 **I own nothing of AOT/SNK except my own sh*t and ideas!**

 **By the way, this will be one of the last slow-paced chapters, because the plot will be picking up soon! I realize now that i may have focused too much on writing our favorite OTP's romance moments instead of adding dynamics to the overall plot of the story, and for that I apologize, but it's (opefully) gonna be more actiony (not a word, i checked) from here on out!**

 ** **Enjoy,** ** _~Dreamers_** **!****

* * *

Halfway home, Petra started hanging towards the back of their group, feeling stiff and ridiculously sore. She knew that shooting might take a toll on her muscles, having hardly used them in the month since she had been shot, but the amount of pain she was currently in, however slight, was undeniable.

A few times, Petra had debated grabbing a fistful of snow and slipping it beneath the neck of her coat to ice her shoulder, but she couldn't bring herself to admit to the others that she was hurting, and endured her aches as best she could. She ice it later that night up on the roof after everyone had gone to sleep.

But when she thought of the commotion that would surely await her at the hideout once the others saw her impressive amount of game, Petra wondered if she'd be able to sneak off to ice it anytime soon.

It was then that they ran into some soldiers. Levi visibly stiffened when he heard them approach, and hurriedly rushed their group into a nearby alley, and out of sight.

"Why are we hiding?" Petra whispered curiously, tensing up when she saw Levi's exterior harden further, a feat she wasn't even sure was possible.

She was suddenly conscious of her proximity to Levi's back, which she was practically pushed up against, his body acting as a wall between them and the soldiers in the streets.

Levi glared at her pointedly over his shoulder at her, until Petra finally put two and two together.

"Okay, we're a gang, got it," Petra concluded brilliantly. "Are we hiding because they'll recognize us or something?"

"Just watch kid," was all Levi told her, indicating that she had only scratched the surface.

Confused, Petra did as she was told, and turned her gaze to the soldiers, realizing that they were probably the first ones she had seen since striking out on her own six months ago.

She took in their tan half-jacket uniforms with white pants and long boots. The unicorn emblem on the back of their jackets marked them all as members of the Military Police.

They were supposed to act as soldiers for the people, but everyone knew that all they really did was drink all day, only serving those still somehow wealthy enough to hire them. They often stole rations from civilians, saying that they had been hording some sort of drugs or weapons within their contents, both of which were illegal.

By the way they were staggering, pink in the face and with silver flasks in hand, it was clear that the soldiers were drunk, living up to their reputations.

After harassing a child for bumping into them – when it had been them who had tripped over the poor boy – the soldiers stumbled clumsily down the icy street until they were out of sight, though their riotous laughter could be heard blocks away.

"I'd heard that the soldiers in Stohess had gotten pretty cocky lately, but I've never seen any so drunk this early in the day before," Petra muttered in disgust, still managing to keep her voice down as her temper steadily rose. "It's almost like they're begging for trouble."

"The lives of everyone in the District are in their hands, and they're sitting ducks! What the Hell would they be able to accomplish if Titans breach the Walls again, when they're so loose in their feet?!" Eren demanded, clenching his fists.

"That's exactly why gangs run the city," Levi answered darkly. "The citizens of this District are banding together, not only for strength in numbers and protection against the Titans and power amongst the citizens, but for protection against the soldiers as well."

"That still doesn't justify shootouts in the middle of the city between gangs, when there weren't even Titans involved, and civilians could be caught in the crossfire," Petra defended. "I doubt other gangs in the city are as…self-disciplined…as you guys-as us." Petra struggled with a word to describe the Corps, as there was no one word that really could, and also that she was now one of them.

"You're right, but I doubt a little heart to heart will make the more violent gangs in the District take it down a few notches," Levi told her, as the echoing sounds of gunfire and the smells of death in the air haunted his memories.

Petra looked to the others, and all of them looked as frustrated and as helpless as she felt. Jean glared pointedly at the ground, as if it were the dirt's fault, and he desperately needed something to blame the current situation on. Levi looked almost unfazed, or at least far more composed than any of the others. Petra turned to Historia and Jean.

"Have things really gotten that bad since I left the District?" Petra asked them.

"The day you met Isabel outside the Walls, we got caught in a shootout with another gang in town - they jumped us. We were sneaking out of the city through a hidden breech in the Walls to go on a supply run on the outskirts of Stohess," Levi told her.

"…That's when you were separated from Isabel," Petra guessed, horrified anyone would deliberately shoot at a kid, no matter what gang she may have been a part of.

Petra hated to think of what may have happened to Isabel if she hadn't helped her.

Would she have been killed, or even raped by the bandits? Isabel was still fairly young, but Petra highly doubted that would stop any man sick enough to try and have their way with the helpless girl.

Or would she have been ripped apart by the Titans Petra had saved her from, long before those bandits had ever found her?

"There's been talk…of the soldiers abandoning the District," Historia said sadly, not wanting to think about what that would mean for the city's residents. "Without the soldiers constantly gunning down the Titans, even the smallest breech in the Walls would be a disaster. The Infection would spread like wildfire."

"Just like Trost," Jean said darkly, his face grim as the echoes of Marco's screams rang in his mind, followed by Petra's cries for them to go on without her.

"I guess it would be too much to ask for the gangs in the city to join hands and form a militia or something, huh?" Petra said sarcastically, knowing full well such a thing was damn near impossible, but Levi secretly appreciated her irony.

When he saw Petra shiver and sniffle from the cold, Levi promptly moved everyone out, and back to the hideout.

* * *

As expected, Petra had soon become a celebrity among those in the gang.

Everyone back at home had flipped when they saw the amount of food their group had managed to bring back with them, granting Petra a solid hour of congrats, thanks, hugs meant to squeeze the life out of her, and annoying, but good-hearted slaps on the back from her friends.

After washing up a bit and shedding a few layers of clothes, Petra had rejoined the others downstairs, and ventured into the kitchen where Hanji, Armin, Mikasa, Connie, and Sasha were busy preparing the birds, not wanting the precious meat to go bad. For once, they were grateful for the cold, for helping to preserve them until they reached the hideout before spoiling out in the sun.

"Can I help?" Petra offered, rolling up her sleeves. "Or do you have enough hands?"

"Of course you can! Come shimmy on over here!" Hanji exclaimed, and Petra found that she indeed had to shuffle past everyone into the tiny kitchen.

She chose to stand near Amin, as Hanji looked overjoyed as she practically dissected the pigeon she was supposed to be skinning. Sasha was visibly drooling over her still uncooked food, while Connie reprimanded the girl for her lack of self-control.

Having personally fought against Mikasa during the rankings, Petra got the sense that she was level headed when she needed to be, for the most part anyways, but doubted she could have a conversation with her for very long.

Armin seemed like the most docile of the bunch, so standing beside him was the obvious choice, if one wished to retain a bit of their sanity, that is.

Petra watched as Armin almost expertly skinned the bird, despite his squeamishness.

"Here," the blond haired boy offered, handing Petra a sharp looking knife. Petra thanked him and took it, before choosing a pigeon from the many bleeding birds laid neatly on a blanket in a pile on the counter.

Petra hesitated somewhat, secretly embarrassed by her skills skinning animals, or lack thereof. She tried to watch how Armin and Mikasa were doing it before cautiously cutting into her bird.

"Have you never skinned an animal before?" Armin asked curiously, noticing her hesitation.

"Not really," Petra admitted. "I usually just cut into them and try to peel off what I can from the inside. It wastes a lot of meat that way, though, I know."

"No one ever showed you how to do it properly?" Mikasa asked from beside them, overhearing their conversation. Petra shook her head.

"The guys usually did the skinning for me, back when Jean, Reiner, Ymir, Krista and I were still together. I just did the hunting and helped wash our clothes and stuff. Ymir maintained the weapons for the most part," Petra told them, struggling with her bird, and cringing at how bloody it was making her hands. "Any pointers?"

"Cut over in this area," Armin showed her, indicating an area that he said would be easier to peel. Petra carefully followed his instructions, and after some squeal-worthy moments, Petra managed to successfully skin her first bird, before moving onto the next one.

Levi stood unnoticed in the door way, quietly watching the scene as it unfolded before him.

It was Hanji who noticed him first, inviting him to join in, as she took a wing of one of the birds, and made it wave to their leader by pulling on one of its tendons, in effort to wave him over.

His reaction was priceless, and very Levi-esque, to those that were used to his ill-tempered demeanor.

"How you continue to constantly create new levels of disgusting is beyond me, Four Eyes," he derided, scoffing in distain for Hanji's sick idea of a joke. "Finish up here. I don't want those carcasses rotting on our counters any longer than they already have been. Hurry it up with the skinning so we can cook the meat, and sterilize the kitchen. If the food isn't done soon the brats will never stop pestering me – not until their choking it down."

Everyone in the kitchen rushed to finish their given tasks.

Petra turned back to her bird, smiling at his antics, and skinned another two birds, each one better than the one before it. She was about to start her final bird when Levi came up behind her. He stood there for a moment, looming over her and watching her work. Petra waited for some sort of criticism from him about her technique, as she felt his eyes on her, but he remained silent.

It was when his eyes traveled to her still bruised knuckles, no longer hidden by her gloves, Levi finally spoke.

He doubted she slept very well these last few days, passing out in exhaustion from a rough day's training only to be woken in the middle of the night by her nightmares and called to the icy cold of the rooftops, seeking solace in the comfort of the open sky above her. Levi doubted she had fully recovered from her panic attack the other day, either.

"You've done enough today, the others can finish up here. Go wash up and lay down. You look like you need it," he dismissed her, hating how weary she looked.

Petra had initially looked as if she were about to protest, but a look from Levi abruptly stopped her.

"I guess I'll take you up on that. Thanks," _for making me leave against my will_ , she thought, but didn't hold it against him, knowing he was just worried for her, and that thought made her blush.

Petra took a second to thank Armin and Mikasa for helping her with the birds, before wiping her bloodied hands on a rag. Excusing herself, she making her way upstairs, venturing into the bathroom in her apartment unit.

In every bathroom there was a bucket of clean water and an empty bucket for wastes and trash, towels and rags, bleach and hand sanitizer they made certain to scrounge up when they could.

Petra sparingly poured a little bleach onto her hands, before taking a cup and dipping it into the pale of water. She poured this water onto each of her hands over the empty pail to wash away any remnants of chicken blood and bleach, before drying her hands on a clean towel.

Once satisfied she had done a decent job of sterilizing herself, Petra wondered back downstairs into the living room, seeking the warmth of the fireplace.

She was out within minutes.

Sitting on the opposite end of the couch, Levi watched over Petra as she slept, glaring at those who dared to make any sort of noise that might wake her.

The only one brave enough, or dense enough, to waltz right up to Petra while Levi was practically guarding her was Isabel. The young girl leaned over Petra, who still had yet to wake up, even as the tempting smell of the now cooked bird' meat filled the air around them.

"Should I wake her up?" Isabel asked Levi. "The others will eat it all if she doesn't wake up soon."

Levi turned his gaze to the rowdy members now fighting over wings and drumsticks as the last of the birds finished sizzling over the fireplace, then back to Petra, who was still sleeping soundly on the couch beside him, curled up against the armrest, and using it as a pillow.

"She's slept long enough," Levi allowed, knowing that if Petra didn't wake up soon that she probably wouldn't sleep through the night – or get enough food – both of which she seemed to struggle with already. "Just don't-"

But before Levi could even finish his sentence, Isabel pounced on Petra, jumping roughly onto the girl as she slept, effectively and painfully waking her.

From beneath Isabel, who was now sitting comfortably on Petra as if she were part of the couch, Petra let out a loud, and very drawn out moan in annoyance, not appreciating the rude awakening.

 _"_ … _I thought we were friends_! _"_ Petra complained from beneath Isabel, who was still sitting on her. Just when had Isabel gotten so heavy? " _I got shot for you…and now you're crushing me…_ "

"But the foods almost ready!" Isabel exclaimed happily, now bouncing up and down atop Petra, who could easily throw Isabel off if she wanted to - Levi noticed - but didn't, not wanting to hurt her should she land the wrong way.

 _"…_ _So you had to jump on me?"_ Petra huffed, finding it hard to breathe, let alone speak.

"No, she didn't," Levi reprimanded sternly. "Isabel, get off of her."

"Hurry and get up so you can eat!" Isabel exclaimed, leaping off of Petra just as soon as she had jumped onto her, causing Petra to huff a little from the action, as Isabel happily bounded off to join the others.

It was moments like this that Petra really wondered how Isabel could only be a year younger than Eren, Mikasa and Armin.

"Thank you," Petra thanked Levi groggily, sitting herself up, and noticing for the first time that there was a blanket over her, as the fluffy wool fell off of her shoulders as she sat up.

 _Who put that there?_ she wondered, sneaking a peek at Levi, who seemed to be watching her intently. Petra blushed upon meeting his steely gaze, and hoped that the light from the fire was not enough to illuminate her reddening cheeks.

"Well, now that you're up," Levi said, grunting a little as he stood up, "let's eat."


	25. Chapter 25

**Author's Note: 'Sup** _ **~Dreamers**_ **! So yeah, I'm posting the second chapter already. I got sh*t to do today, so if I don't post this chapter now, then idk when I will! You can thank my Spring Break this week for giving me the time to finish these two chapters, though I'll be working 11am-9pm and 11am-8pm shifts on Saturday and Sunday, and a 6pm-11pm one tonight (T^T) -eastern standard time btw – so my short-lived vacation from work and school will end in just a few short hours.**

 **Hope those of you who get a Spring Break will have more fun than I am, but sometimes just chilln' is nice too ^.^**

 **I apologize in advance if Levi seems out of character in this chapter, though I doubt you guys will have too many complaints this time around.**

 **;) You're welcome!**

 **Enjoy this chapter,** _ **~Dreamers,**_ **and please don't forget to review** **! Your thoughts and opinions are always appreciated, even constructive (not destructive) criticism! :D**

* * *

It had been over a month since Petra had gotten a hold of any good meat, and even longer for some of the other members, who had survived in the District by trading supplies for rations. The pigeons weren't that big, but Petra had managed to shoot enough so that everyone could at least have one to themselves.

Petra was feeling it now in her arms and shoulder, her muscles still not used to the strain of pulling back a bow. She decided to call it a night early, as soon as everyone had finished eating.

Hanji passed around the now skinned and fully cooked birds, still steaming hot on their sticks. But before anyone could eat any, Levi halted everyone in their tracks.

"Petra, you eat first," he demanded out of the blue. "The birds are you're kill, and we wouldn't be eating this well tonight if you hadn't pulled through for us today."

The others nodded silently in agreement, and Petra doubted that she could escape from being the center of attention unless she did as she was told, and ate before anyone else.

Embarrassed, but deciding not to make a scene, Petra brought her steaming bird up to her mouth, holding its stick on either side.

After blowing on it for a tense few seconds to cool it off a bit, and hopefully not burn herself and look like an idiot in front of the others, Petra bit into her pigeon. She carefully tore through skin and muscle, before peeling apart a tiny section to chew on.

It was a bit gamey, yes, but the flavor was to die for.

Two years ago, Petra doubted she would ever eat anything so wild, or at least nothing so dry and unseasoned. But after knowing what it means to starve and go hungry night a

fter night with the pains of a rumbling stomach, this little bit of meat was absolute heaven to her now.

"Well, its edible guys," Ymir joked when she saw how blissful Petra had become, now rendered unable to speak due to her full mouth, which kept getting fuller, as Petra continued to eat. "It okay to stuff our faces now, Boss?"

The rest of the members looked to their leader, some of them drooling like wild dogs, and you could cut the tension in the air with a knife.

He looked at Petra, who had appeared oblivious to the tension, however, and looked like she was currently on cloud nine. Levi nodded, giving them the go ahead.

With hoots and hollers, everyone dug in. Even those of them who were normally fussy eaters picked their birds clean of meat, sucking every last morsel off each bone, and wasting little.

As she was the first to start eating, Petra was also among the first to finish her food, despite her typically being a pretty slow eater. After guzzling down some water, Petra said goodnight to the others and promptly excused herself.

Some members had wished for her to stay, but understood she must have been exhausted from her first real venture into town since she had gotten back onto her feet.

Ymir, Historia, and some of the other girls had followed suit, and had trudged up the stairs after Petra, feeling fuller than they had been in weeks.

Levi had remained down stairs in the living room with some of the older members, who were now busting out a bottle of alcohol they had been secretly saving for when the younger teens turned in for the night. Levi cautiously eyed the bottle of alcohol wearily, remembering the last time he had gotten drunk, which had landed himself at the foot of a pack of Titans.

But he had been alone then, and even if he and the older members got a bit buzzed, he knew that they were skilled enough to take out such threats together with the other members.

Then Levi thought of Petra, and how she would likely be sneaking up to the roof again tonight, seeking solace from the torment of her nightmares in the silent beauty of the stars.

If he had too much to drink now, would he be able to hear her fumble with the key he had entrusted to her in the middle of the night? Would he be able to get up and be there for her if she started to cry alone?

But then his thoughts strayed to her slender figure as she had disappeared up the stairs just a few moments ago. Levi had been at most at ease when she had been within sight, but now that she was gone, it was as if some of his peace of mind had left with her.

He remembered all of the times he had held her figure in his arms.

When he had held her down in the gym so they could remove the bullet in her arm after she was shot. When he had caught her in her supply room trying to re-bandage her shoulder, and had carried her back to her sleeping bag by the fire pit. When he had lifted her onto their living room couch, after she had collapsed from their journey back into the District, to come live with them. After she had had her panic attack that night in the gym, holding her until she calmed down, and taken her to her room upstairs.

It was when Levi continued to think of little here and there occurrences such as these, though some less dramatic, that he decided to have a drink after all.

* * *

Petra woke abruptly from her nightmare as it reached its climax, flinching into consciousness with a start.

She had been running as hard and as fast as she could from whoever it was pursuing her, but her legs had felt so heavy, as if they were made of lead, and her attackers were gaining on her.

In the distance were her friends, walking on without her and surrounded by a glowing light. Only their backs were visible.

Leading them was Levi, who stood in the front of her group of friends. The others faded away, until Levi was the only figure left. Petra called out to him, hoping that he would turn around and save her from the shadows that threatened to swallow her, but no matter how loud she screamed, she couldn't find her voice.

She had been crying in her dream, afraid of being left alone again. The darkness enveloped her, and she felt herself sinking into what felt like quicksand, with nothing but the gurgling growls of Titans, yelling and gunfire awaited her.

Panting, Petra stood up, and paced about her room fitfully. Somehow, she had not woken Historia or Ymir, though a part of her wished she had, if only to let them hold her until she calmed down some.

Bolting from the room, Petra found the key to the roof, which she had slept with under her pillow, and headed for the roof.

She had barely reached the top of the stairs when she saw him in the corner of her eye, stepping out of his room and standing before her. The wooden stairs were creaky, so he must have heard her coming.

The looks they shared with one another spoke volumes.

Levi walked up to Petra slowly, and held out his hand to her. Hesitantly, but knowing that she likely needed the contact to ground herself, Petra took his hand, gripping it like a lifeline.

He could feel her shaking.

"Go downstairs and sit by the fire. I'll make you something warm to drink. Wait for me in the living room," Levi instructed after a tense moment, as he listened to Petra furiously try to control her breathing. Releasing her hand, he turned away from her to head downstairs.

He had managed to take a few steps away from her when Petra had let out a little cry, and launched herself at his back, clutching onto him tightly from behind.

For a few seconds, they just stood there, her holding him, and Levi processing what was happening. Gently prying her arms from around him, Levi maneuvered himself so that he was facing her, though he still kept a hold of her arms.

"Sorry…I was being childish," Petra apologized, not caring that Levi had expressed how annoying it was this time, either.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," Levi told her simply, before taking her by her hand, and gently leading her down to the living room.

He left her once to get her a blanket, throwing it onto her head without warning. He left her the second time to return with a pot of water, a mug, and what looked like a small bag of tea.

After setting the pot over the fire to boil, Levi turned his attention back to Petra, who was watching his every move.

He sat down beside her, the cushions of the couch forced down due to his weight, making Petra lean towards him a little.

"Tell me about your dream. You'll feel better afterwards. Trust me," Levi coaxed her softly, hating how quiet she had become. "At least what you can remember."

"…It was so vivid," she admitted, before reliving her dream with him in full detail, leaving out the part where he faded away last, after everyone else. It was easier with him there, his presence reminding her that this was reality, not her dream, and that she was safe.

Levi had listened intently to everything she had to say, and had said nothing when Petra had inched so close to him that she was practically leaning her head against his shoulder, though she had refrained from actually touching him.

It was only when the kettle had started to steam and hiss a little that Levi had stood up to finish brewing the tea, before handing Petra a cup of the liquid.

They stayed like that for a while, talking aimlessly about this and that. He noticed that she hadn't touched her drink until he had nearly finished his own.

"Do you not like tea?" he asked her. Petra shook her head no.

"I do, but I can't really handle hot things very well. I'll probably wait until it's a bit hotter than lukewarm before I'll finally be able to drink it," she laughed nervously. "Though it is a bit rude not to drink it right away, isn't it?"

As if to prove a point. Petra brought her mug up to her lips and blew gently on the liquid for a solid minute before attempting to take a sip. But as soon as the scolding tea touched her mouth, Petra reeled back in pain, unable to take a full sip.

"You don't have to force yourself like that," Levi told her, taking hold of her hand to move it away from her face, as her fingers caressed her mouth. "I won't be insulted if you wait until its ice cold," he reprimanded her, not wanting Petra to burn herself again.

As he continued to inspect her mouth, which was now red from being burned by her tea, Petra found herself inspecting him as well.

His muscles as they bulged a little through his shirt, even though he seemed to prefer his clothes to be a bit big on him. His bony, yet strong hand as it held her skinny wrist, completely enveloping it. He wasn't much taller than her, maybe a few inches at the most, but Petra liked how small he made her feel, but not vulnerable. His neck, his undercut, and the way his dark hair fell a little into his grey-blue eyes…

Neither of them was sure who moved first, but both could feel themselves leaning towards the other.

Petra had felt her lids drift shut as he closed in on her mouth, their heads tilting to get the best angle. The kiss had started out slow, as both of them tested the waters, not wishing to scare the other away.

His lips lightly brushed hers, almost as if he were kissing her burnt lips, while he also kissed her. It was thoughtful, Petra felt, as if he were trying to spell out his intentions to her, as well as to himself as he took her lips in his.

Afraid she would burn herself should the distraction make her spill her tea, Levi carefully pried Petra's still steaming tea out of her hands, and set it on the floor, all without once breaking their kiss.

Petra wondered how he could still manage to think right now, when it was all she could do to keep breathing. She wanted desperately to know what else was going through his head right now. Just what was he thinking?

As if in answer to her silent question, Levi finally broke their kiss, which had escalated enough to get the two of them panting a little.

Levi looked into her hazel eyes for a moment, secretly afraid of what he would find in their fiery depths, but needing to know for certain if whatever he was feeling was one sided, even if Petra had kissed him back.

To his horror, but not exactly to his surprise, Levi could see traces of fear in her golden eyes, and feel her shoulders shaking slightly, as he held her a little closer than arms' length.

And she was crying.

"Sorry," he blurted, his face darkening as he prepared to shut himself off from the rejection he thought was coming. "If you didn't want to-"

Petra had cut him off, throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him back. Her kiss was thoughtful, and a bit sloppy, he realized, as if such contact was new to her.

"I did. I think that I may have for a while now, but I never had the courage to," she admitted after pulling away from him, hiding her face in his neck so that she could try to compose herself a little. "But I don't know what to do now."

In response to her words, Petra held onto him tightly, as if he might disappear at any second, just like he did in her nightmare.

As if to assure her that he wouldn't, Levi held her firmly against him, hoping to quell her shaking.

"We'll take it day by day," he told her, rubbing her back with one hand, in effort to comfort her.

"…Can we maybe try to keep it under wraps for now?" Petra asked, looking up at him in a way Levi hated to admit looked adorable. "I hate to lie about it to everyone, but I don't know how I'm going to explain… _us_ to the gang just yet." She was still trying to understand it herself. "…Like, you're our leader. Imagine what the others will think when they find out."

"There's nothing to say," Levi corrected her. "But I won't flaunt it, if that's what you're getting at. We'll let the others figure it out on their own."

"Thank you," Petra appreciated.

They stayed like that for a while, just embracing, each of them not knowing what else to do or say, but enjoying the others warmth all the same.

After a while, though, Levi finally pulled away, saying that continuing like that would surely get them caught, dispelling any chance of keeping whatever they had now private.

He walked her back upstairs to her apartment unit. Both of them had taken the risk of holding hands the entire way.

"Wash your face, and go back to sleep," Levi told he once they had reached her door. "You can think about _this,_ " he squeezed her hand _,_ "tomorrow. And be sure to give me an answer you won't regret, kid."

Petra nodded, smiling and whacking him playfully, before hesitantly relinquishing her hold on his hand.

But just as Levi turned to leave the hallway and Petra's hand touched her door knob, the booming thunder of gunfire and yelling sounded from outside filled the air, waking the entire hideout.

The shots sounded distant, but still far too close for comfort.

After sharing a knowing look with Petra, both of them wasted no time, and bolted for the stairs to the roof, wanting to catch a glimpse of what in the world was going on outside.

Petra had fumbled with the key for a few seconds, before she was finally able to unlock the chains around the door to the roof, and letting both her and Levi make their way outside.

"Stay low," he commanded, having to raise his voice a little over the gunfire.

Petra nodded, doing as she was told.

Both of them made their way over to the short brick wall that lined the perimeter of their buildings' roof, in the direction the shots seemed to be coming from.

It was still dark out, not yet dawn, but no doubt the entire city heard the thunderous gunfire ripping through the air. Petra and Levi risked a glance over the safety of their brick wall, hoping to see what all the commotion was about.

"I heard Annie and Armin talking about gang shoot outs within the city. This seem like one of them to you?" Petra asked Levi over the shots, which were thankfully growing farther and farther away from them.

"Either that, or someone's opened fire on the soldiers again, though I've never seen such a strong opposition to the government by any one gang before," Levi informed her.

When he saw how she clenched her hands into fists so tight that her knuckles had gone white from the tension, he tried to soothe her nerves, which were likely flooded with adrenaline by now.

"Easy, kid. Listen," he told her, and Petra turned her attention to the gunfire off in the distance. "It's dying down now. If they keep at it any longer, the soldiers will undoubtedly put an end to it. If we don't get involved, we should be fine."

"Wish I could say the same for the people caught in the crossfire," Petra muttered darkly. "Should we wake the others? They should all be up for this."

"If they aren't already up and armed downstairs then they all know that they'll be Hell to pay," Levi assured her. "Let's go back inside, I don't want you unarmed with all this shit going on out here."

"What about you?" Petra asked, before fully processing what he had said. "Wait, you mean you're already armed?!"

Levi nodded, before reaching behind him to pull out a loaded gun, which had been secretly tucked into his belt, hidden under his clothing.

Had she really just made out with him downstairs and not had a clue he was carrying a deadly weapon the whole time?

Embarrassed, but not wanting to be undone, Petra lifted up her pant leg, revealing her own secret weapon – a sheathed knife strapped to her ankle.

"I doubt it would do me much good in a firefight, but it's better than nothing," Petra defended.

"Good, but not good enough, kid," Levi told her, uncertain if her being almost as prepared as he was for mayhem was a good or a bad thing.

They turned back to the door to the roof, in order to retreat back into their hideout and regroup with the others, when a deafening explosion rumbled behind them.

Both of them turned to see a fiery, block sized mushroom cloud light up the night around them in an eerie yellow glow, escalating the yells off in the distance.


	26. Chapter 26

**Author's Note: 'Sup _~Dreamers_! Long time no write! i'm back b*tche$! so i had a blast in upstate New York, minus the horrible fact that i had NO internet for over two months. then i got to ride a train for the first time to Connecticut to spend my last 9 or so days with my Dad, Step Momma Jen, my sister Ayanna who is turning 16 at the end of September, and my younger brothers (the twins) Joe and Alex who are 12. i really missed them all you have no idea, so it was so good to see them all again! the last time i saw them was last December in Orlando, Fl (an hour away from where in live) when they drove down for the twins football thingy (districts or something, idk about football)**

 **anyway, i'm back home now and i'm finally getting back into the swing of things. i was loosing my mind being in hot, boring Florida (not all of us can afford to go to theme parks all the damn time lol), but after being on the go all summer i have to admit that it's good to be back! ^^**

 **in other news, my mom, and my OTHER brother Joey (he's not related to my other siblings, i know, divorces and sh*t are complicated) are moving at the end of October. we got a Non-Renewal lease saying that once this year's lease is up, we gotta be out, which basically means that they don't want us back (landlords a d*ck at these apartments, what can we do?), and i heard we're not the only ones who got one, so yeah, i'll be moving soon**

 **in other other news, the black and white cat we got before i left has been name Moofu (i hate it, but no one gave me a say), and now we have ANOTHER baby Siamese that we're all fighting among ourselves to name. lol, maybe we're getting semi-evicted because we have too many friggn' animals! (i've told my mom to chill, but she's insane lol) we now have three cats, a chihuahua that likes all of maybe five people, and a bunny**

 **~My Life!~**

 **i am taking this semester off from school, but only because i've got all that sh*t happening and didn't want to stress out anymore then i already am lol**

 **now, let's get this sh*-show on the road!**

 **i own nothing of AOT/SNK!**

 **Enjoy _~Dreamers_!**

* * *

A Reason to Survive Chapter 26

* * *

"Inside now!" Levi yelled, hurrying Petra back into the hideout.

Once inside, they re-chained the door to the roof, before practically sprinting downstairs to regroup with the others.

All of them were arming themselves in the living room, some still wiping the sleep from their eyes as they charged their weapons.

"What's going on?! What's with all the shooting?!" Eren exclaimed, strapping a gun holster to his belt, while Farlan and the older members distributed more guns and ammo to everyone else in the room, so that no one was left weaponless.

"Forget the shooting, what the Hell was that bomb?!" Jean asked, now loading his own weapon.

"Something big is happening, isn't it?" Mikasa inquired, hating the sick feeling in her gut, which was fueled by Levi and Petra's grim expressions.

"That explosion was an entire city block going up in flames," Levi stated darkly, immediately getting everyone's attention.

"Are you serious?!" Armin asked in disbelief.

Levi nodded once.

"How do you know?" Reiner asked, though the dark expression on his face said that he probably already knew the answer.

"We were on the roof when the bomb went off," Petra informed them, letting her words sink in. "Levi and I went upstairs as soon as we heard the shooting, to see what was going on. We saw the whole thing."

The expressions the Corps members shared were grave, before Levi spoke again.

"The fighting is too close to our current location. Everyone suit up, and get ready to head out," Levi ordered, and with their trademark salute, the Corps members got moving.

"Wait, head where?! And what's with that salute?!" Petra asked, not liking to be kept in the dark.

"I'll explain on the way, but let's get packed first," Krista promised, before everyone hurried upstairs to get ready.

"One backpack each, and nothing more than you can't carry for a long distance," Levi warned, calling up the stairs after members running up them.

Upstairs, Corps members were furiously packing, praying that they wouldn't forget anything important, because they had no idea when they would be returning to the hideout.

Each of them packed a few pairs of pants, shirts, socks, and underwear. Petra decided to dress in a few extra layers, knowing that it would save her some room in her backpack, and keep her warmer in the frigid night temperatures.

She found her phone, her charger, and her flash drive. Without letting the other girls see, Petra wrapped them in her clothes, and stuffed them in her bag. She wasn't sure why she felt the need to hide her electronics, as she doubted that the others would care that much if she kept them.

Perhaps she just didn't want to display any more emotional weakness than she already had, not that it really mattered now anyway.

Maybe she felt that her lingering hope of saving the only pictures of her family and life before the Titans displayed weakness, a visible crack in the tough front she had put up.

But that was before her breakdown in the basement, so Petra doubted that hiding her devices could ever save her reputation now.

After she finished dressing and packing, Petra strapped every knife she owned to the limbs of her body, as well as her torso. Satisfied she had prepared all she could given such short notice, Petra helped the Krista and Ymir pack, before heading downstairs and rejoining the others.

Each team was to leave a full five minutes apart, one after the other, taking one of three different routes.

The purpose of this was to minimize any unwanted attention. Over thirty or so people traveling in one huge group would practically announce to the world that they were in a gang, whereas teams of four to six people drew far less attention.

Petra had asked how each group would stay in contact with each other if they were all spread out, doubting that the two walkies Levi had taken with them from Petra's place would cut it.

Levi had explained that each group would have a team leader, but that each team leader would double as their group's Scout.

The Scout's job is to remain separate from their assigned groups. They will have a flashlight, and keep ahead of or behind their teams. The teams will only advance if the Scout's signal is given that the coast is clear, and that it is safe to move forward.

Aside from helping their teams to advance, another job of the Scouts is to assist their group should they be attacked by other gangs, or even the soldiers. If their group is jumped, any aid is going to be five or so minutes away. In short, the Scouts are their teams' first responders, the first person to help them. They can jump into the fight, and help turn the tables in the Corps favor, or even act as a sort of sniper to pick of their enemies.

The teams were the same as the day before, when everyone had gone into town in search of food, supplies, and to do odd jobs in hopes of earning those things. Needless to say, the Scouts of these groups were also the leaders.

Petra felt comforted by the fact that she was in the same squad as Levi, but the thought of him being their group's Scout made her uneasy, as the person accepting that position was at the most risk. It was the Scout's job to venture away from and protect the group should they be targeted.

The Scouts were practically on their own.

Petra did not completely agree with this rule, but she couldn't deny the importance of such a well-planned strategy. Any extra backup was always welcome. The next look that Levi shared with her warned Petra to trust him, not to complain, and above all, to follow her orders.

Levi's group would be the last to leave the hideout, as they would act as backup to any of the groups should they run into trouble. The better fighters paved the way forward to Erwin's place, while the rookies left just ahead of Levi's squad, which held up the rear.

Unwillingly, Petra felt incredibly tense, and she grew increasingly twitchy as the minutes passed, waiting for Levi to give her group the go-ahead to move out.

Although she hung near Ymir and Historia, her eyes watched Levi's every movement.

It was as if his presence alone was enough to ground her, and keep her sane.

Their eyes met frequently, and it was like each of them could convey the complexity of the uneasiness they were each feeling by holding one another's gaze. Both were careful not to stare too long at the other, and were thankfully not noticed by the others of their group. Somehow.

Then, after the measly half hour or so that had felt to Petra like an eternity, Levi commanded that their group finally set out.

* * *

Petra was the second to the last person to leave their hideout, Levi being the final member, following about a block or so behind them. He was sure to keep out of sight, and at the same time kept his group within his sight at all times.

Petra shivered as they fled into the night, the cold finding its way into every exposed patch of skin on her body. Petra had donned the fluffy brown jacket that Levi had given her, and she was as thankful to Hanji for getting the blood stains from her shoulder out of it as she was for its warmth now.

Suddenly a flash of light caught their attention, and all in their group turned to face Levi, who was signaling them with his flashlight from a nearby alley way. With a few waves of his hand, he motioned for them to pick up the pace a little.

"You okay to jog?" Eren asked Petra, knowing she was still recovering from the matches, her breakdown the other day, and being shot not even a month ago.

"Yeah, I'm good," Petra assured them all. "Let's hurry and meet up with the others. I don't like being split up from everyone."

"Yeah, me either," Eren agreed. "Let's go."

And all of them broke into a light jog, being sure to set a pace that was easy enough for Petra to keep up with. When it was clear to them all that Petra was plenty capable of going a little faster, everyone picked it up a little.

Petra had noticed and was grateful for her friends' unspoken gesture, but her mind was elsewhere.

All she could process was the gunfire slowly fading away behind them as they got some distance, as well as the burning of her lungs as they continued to run in the cold. The night was clear, and every so often, she would look up into the sky, which was alight with thousands of stars.

Were their friends up ahead of them alright? Had they all made it safely to that Erwin guy's place? Had any of them been jumped along the way?

Petra hated not knowing, and it was all she could do to stay calm. All she wanted to do was to get to where they were going, and hunker down with everyone in the same place, safe and sound. But she knew that having an anxiety attack now would not help anyone, and Petra did her best not to panic due to the amount of adrenaline already seeping into her veins.

"We're getting close now," Jean stated after a tense twenty minutes of jogging.

"How much farther?" Petra asked, praying she didn't sound like she was complaining, or that she was too out of breath.

"Five or six more blocks," Jean panted, also out of breath, and Petra was glad to see that she was not the only one of them who was feeling winded.

"Wanna pick up the pace a bit?" Ymir suggested. "I don't like how quiet everything just got."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Petra agreed, uneasy. They had just trekked halfway across the city, and they hadn't seen anyone outside.

"The gunfire and explosions must have scared everyone. They're probably all locked up inside their homes," Eren surmised.

"Uh, I think you better check again guys," Historia said suddenly, pointing to a group of soldiers rounding a corner, and heading in their direction.

"Quick, hide!" Jean exclaimed, and they ducked into a nearby alley, but a second too late.

"Hey, you there!" yelled one of the soldiers, and Petra readied her gun.

 _"_ _Damnit! They saw us,"_ Eren exclaimed, keeping his voice low, and readying his own weapon.

 _"_ _Yeah no shit, Sherlock,"_ Jean replied harshly, also whispering.

 _"_ _Wait, they_ are _soldiers. Do we really have to fight them?"_ Historia pleaded, wanting desperately to avoid a confrontation.

 _"_ _I don't see any other way out of this,"_ Petra told her morbidly, annoyed that the alley they had happened to run into had been a dead end, with not even a fire escape to get them up to the rooftops, and off of the streets.

 _"_ _They've seen our faces, and there's no way they're just going to let us go now. If they haven't already figured out what gang we belong to yet, then they might assume that we're the people behind all the shooting and that explosion. Normal people would be inside right now, not sneaking around the streets at night,"_ Ymir explained, gearing up for a fight.

"Are you deaf?! I said come out! And keep your hands where we can see them!"

"I'm not one of the people that just ambushed the Military Police, if that's what you bastards are worried about," replied Levi from a distance. "I'm just trying to get home."

Everyone exchanged glances in the sudden realization that the soldiers had not been talking to them, but to Levi instead. There was no way that he hadn't had enough time to hide. He intended to distract the soldiers on purpose by getting caught, while they got away.

"What was that?!" yelled one of the soldiers.

 _"…_ _As soon as the soldiers walk past us, we'll sneak behind them and escape,"_ Jean announced after a moment.

 _"_ _And then what, leave him behind?!"_ Petra exclaimed, fighting to keep her voice down as her anger rose.

 _"_ _Levi won't want us to cause a commotion! He'll be fine, all they'll probably do is apprehend him. As soon as he gets an opening, he'll escape,"_ Jean continued. _"They've already seen his face now, but they haven't seen us. We can get out of this easily if we lay low and let Levi take the heat. Trust me, the guy's a tank."_

 _"_ _Yes but to leave him to fend for himself against_ five _soldiers?! One or two, maybe, but_ five _?!"_ Sure, Petra had taken on such numbers before alone and survived, but many times by the skin of her teeth, and only because she didn't have the luxury of any back up.

Petra looked around her, appalled by how accepting her friends seemed about this. It was obvious that none of them liked the idea of leaving Levi behind.

Eren took a step towards her, and put a hand on her shoulder, the one that wasn't holding his gun.

 _"_ _He's a Scout for a reason Petra,"_ Eren began. _"Scouts can protect themselves. They have to. Who would watch out for the group if the Scout was killed?"_

Despite how Eren had smiled in reassurance, the ice in Petra's veins was telling her otherwise, and the sting of it had nothing to do with the weather. Noting the look on Petra's face, Ymir spoke next.

 _"_ _What's worse: us leaving him to deal with a situation he is more than capable of handling, or barging in and making the situation even more complicated?"_

Petra was silent a moment, before taking a deep breath to steady herself, and letting it turn into a sigh. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Petra knew that they were right. She hadn't doubted Levi's ability at all, but the thought of leaving _any_ of her friends behind deeply upset her.

Understandably, because the last time she had promised to reunite with her friends almost a year ago, she thought that she would never see them again, and that they had probably died in the months that they were separated.

 _"…_ _Get ready, the soldiers are getting ready to walk past us. We'll sneak behind them and down the street a little, to the alley up ahead of us. It might be a little longer, but that route will hopefully keep us out of the soldiers sight this time,"_ Jean told everyone.

All of them were right. Levi would be fine. If she wanted to help him, then Petra knew she needed to remain calm. Acting on impulse like a loose cannon won't help anyone. They had one job: to get to Erwin's in one piece. Levi would follow.

Petra peeked out at Levi as he was being cuffed by the soldiers, who were being pretty rough with him. Not once did he look in their direction, despite being hit in the face and thrown to the ground by the soldiers. Even though all of that, he never dared to risk giving them away, and here she was ready to jump in head first.

Kicking herself for her immaturity, Petra readied to stealth past the soldiers with the others, and again she held up the rear. They went one at a time, until she was the only one left. Jean and Eren had just given her the signal to go, but the shouting of the soldiers distracted her.

It sounded like Levi had made some smart comment, and the officers weren't standing for it. Then the soldiers looked at one another, smiling smugly, ominously.

What happened next happened very quickly.

Two of the five soldiers forced Levi to the ground, while the other three circled him like vultures, saying that what ever happened to them could always be blamed on the radicals who had challenged the Military Police earlier.

Two of the three remaining men, the ones not holding Levi down, began punching him violently in the stomach.

The third man ended the brutality after a long moment, before pulling out a gun, and taking aim at Levi's head.

The next thing Petra knew, she was sprinting.


	27. Chapter 27

**Author's Note: 'Sup ~Dreamers! Long time no write! (again') So i just went full time at my job, and i just finished a 45 hour week. i'm beat! TqT but i plan on returning to college next semester, so i'll be back to part time by then, if everything works out. i got employee of the month again! that comes with a .25cent raise (not sure what that means for ya'lls currencies, so google it if you're curious) and i was already due a raise for my 2nd sixth month period. i'm gonna be making about $9 and hour now (which is crap by the way, but more than i have been making, so f yeah!) i'm gonna make it rain!**

 **we still haven't found a place to live yet, and the end of October is approaching soon! this neighborhood SUCKS! i live beach side, on kind of a peninsula/island thingy. the homes here are either million $ homes, or shitty houses that need some fixing up. across the bridge about 5-10 miles away (what's that in km again? lol) there are plenty of huge, gorgeous homes my mom and i could easily afford, but we're trying to keep my brother in his school district. he just became a freshman in high school (he's 15, and in 9th grade) ah, they grow up so fast T^T**

 **i'm sure we'll find a place soon, i just hope it's close, inexpensive, and nicer/bigger than where we're living now. we live in a two bed one bath apartment, an my brother's room is a dining room we curtained off and divided with a giant white board (the kind you can write on with dry erase markers like in school lol). now that there's 4 of us, we need at least 3 bedrooms, and at least another bathroom would be lovely**

 **t.m.i. but my brother AND my mom's 23 year old boyfriend (ew, i know) piss on the seat, much to my disgust when i'm trying to take a piss myself at 2 or 3 am. i'm BEYOND ready for another bathroom LET ME TELL YOU!**

 **in other news, we named the baby Himilayan kitten Cheetoh. this was decided over a bag of cheetohs my mom's fat bf was eating while they were...Netflix and chilling *cringe* and the kitten is a savage! he eat's not only ALL of the other two cat's food unless you separate them, but so far all human food too! he eats chips, turkey, he likes milk...i really hope he doesn't get fat**

 **wow that was a lot. i wonder why it's so easy to talk to strangers about useless crap like this and not people i actually know? maybe because i can't see your faces or hear your judging lol! still, i hope that the _~Dreamers_ out there reading my cheesy little excerpts can find something you can relate to in them, and get to know me as a fellow writer, person, and _~Dreamer_ better ^^**

 **i also started seeing someone ;)**

 **Enjoy _~Dreamers_!**

* * *

Levi's eyes widened at the sight of Petra running towards him and the soldiers.

He could have avoided being caught and beaten by the soldiers, easily. But using himself as a diversion, the others could have just as easily slipped past the soldiers. The entire reason Levi had opted to taking such a beating was so that the others would avoid detection.

The moment they had gotten away, Levi planned to free himself, and take out the very soldiers who had threatened them.

Not wasting any time, Levi threw all of his weight into the soldier at his left, who lost his grip on Levi's arm in the process. He did the same to the soldier at his right. Once free of their grasp, Levi tumbled backwards in a sort of summer sault, standing up quickly.

His next victim would be the man who had aimed the gun at him, said man now targeting Petra with the same weapon.

In a split second, Levi kicked the man's legs out from under him, all the while dodging attacks from the men he had just sent to the ground, who were now both back on their feet.

Petra successfully knocked out the other two men, and now turned to assist Levi with the remaining three, even though he was still handcuffed. When she turned her attention to Levi, and figure out which of the three men she should engage next, Levi was in mid-air, and dropkicking the soldier who had tried to shoot them.

Needless to say, the sheer power behind the blow had put that soldier down for the count.

 _"_ _The guy's a tank,"_ she remembered Jean saying in the alley - the place she should have been, instead of out here.

Yeah, no shit, Jean.

Now that things were more even, Petra helped Levi take out the remaining two men. It sickened them both how horrible all of the soldiers had been at fighting, and here they were strutting in the streets, boasting that they were the hope of humanity, that they would protect the citizens from Titans, as well as from one another.

Once confirming that the men were all now unconscious, Petra kneeled down beside the leader's body, and pulled a ring of keys off of his belt to unlock Levi's handcuffs.

But before she could stand up, a foot roughly stepped on her back, pushing her face into the ground. Petra knew it was Levi before he even spoke.

"…Will anything I say at this point make up for my stupidity?" Petra grunted, hating how he dug his heavy boot into her still aching ribs.

"No," Levi replied darkly, pushing her further into the ground in response. "You had your orders, just like I had those cowards. Last I checked, _I_ am this squad's Scout, not you. It's my job to handle the dirty work, kid, as well as deal with any problems that threaten the safety of the group. You included."

"…Understood. It won't happen again," Petra conceded, not use to him treating her so roughly, but realizing now that her decision was wrong.

The cracks in her voice told him that she was crying, or gearing up to. Perhaps he had been a bit too rough on her, she was still hurt after all. Removing his foot from her back, Levi allowed Petra to stand up.

The first thing she did was walk behind him, to undo the cuffs still on his wrists. She hadn't said another word, and the way Petra refused to look him in the eyes made him uneasy.

"Go catch up with the others so that we can get out of here. I doubt these idiots were alone," Levi told her, before adding, "I'll follow."

Petra nodded once, still unable to meet his gaze.

Everyone else had opted to stay out of the fight, knowing the two would fare well on their own, and had continues to shelter in the alley Petra should have originally gone to. None of them wished to be the second to disobey a direct order from Levi, because all of them knew better.

Still, it was hard for them to watch their comrades fight against such odds from the shadows, and each of them felt a little cowardly for leaving all the dirty work onto Levi, and most of all, Petra, as she was still recovering mentally as well as physically from the matches the other day.

Another few blocks of jogging, and Erwin's place finally came into view. It was a weathered brick building, standing an imposing six stories high. They waited for Levi to join up with them before entering, who was only a minute behind them.

One hard knock from Levi, and then footsteps sounded from inside.

"Who goes there?!" answered Hanji dramatically, causing a series of eye rolls from nearly all in the squad.

"Just us, Hanji," Jean deadpanned, wanting to get out of the cold already.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't expecting any 'just us' this evening-"

"Hanji. Door. Now," Levi threatened, understandably impatient, along with his rapidly deteriorating mood.

"Kill joy," Hanji pouted, reluctantly unlocking and opening the door. "Woah, have a hard time?" Hanji asked concernedly when she saw Levi's bruising face and split lip.

"We wouldn't have if Petra had followed her orders," Levi stated pointedly, sending her an icy glare, one that was likely to keep her up tonight. Great, he was still pissed at her.

Once inside, they kicked off their shoes and jackets in the large hallway, feeling the warmth of a nearby fireplace.

However, all of them stayed armed, and knew they would for the entirety of the night, based on whatever on Earth was still going on outside.

Hanji lead the way up two flights of stairs, until everyone was on the third story.

Pristine hardwood floors dominated the space beneath their feet as they made their way through the corridors, and the fancy flowered designs etched into each inch of the walls around them told Petra that whoever use to live here had been fairly well off.

The layout resembled their own apartment complex, but the sheer luxury of the building felt more like a mansion to Petra.

The rest of the members came into view, and Petra was glad to see everyone had made it there safely. There were several couches placed throughout the huge room, each of them a dark, earthy green. A tall man Petra did not know came to greet them. He had blond hair that was brushed neatly out of his face, blue eyes, and a muscular build similar to Reiner's.

There were no other faces present she did not recognize, so Petra assumed he must be Erwin.

"Have some trouble?" Erwin asked Levi, taking in how unusually beaten up he looked.

"Just a run in with a few soldiers," was all Levi told him. "They probably thought we were the punks that started the shootout with the Garrison and Military Police. Did the others get you up to speed?"

"Yes, I've been informed of our current situation," Erwin assured him, speaking formally.

As if sensing that Petra was sizing him up, Erwin caught her gaze. He nodded once politely, and gave her a small smile.

"You must be Petra," Erwin surmised, sharing an almost knowing look with Levi that Petra couldn't seem to place.

"Yes. Thank you for taking us in so suddenly," Petra managed, trying her best to appear friendly.

"I owed Levi some favors," Erwin joked, before turning to address the entire room. "Please, make yourselves comfortable. It may be a while before it's safe to venture out again, and certainly not tonight."

Then Erwin gestured for Levi to step aside, wanting to talk to him more privately. Levi nodded, then turned to Petra.

"Go wash up, kid, and have someone check your bandages again. Then get some rest, we have enough people to keep watch for tonight and make sure everyone gets enough sleep. You look like you need it."

"O-okay. Wake me up if something happens," Petra stuttered, still afraid he was angry at her.

She was about to walk away, in hunt for a place to unwind and hopefully get a little sleep, when Levi grabbed her shoulder, stopping her abruptly in her tracks.

Petra had flinched at the unexpected contact, but noted his gentleness, having grabbed her bad shoulder.

She looked back at him expectantly.

"I need to speak with Erwin now. I'll come find you after so we can talk."

"O-okay," Petra managed, praying he would go easy on her. Levi was being civil now, but Petra hadn't forgotten the icy look he had given her only moments ago.

And with that, he was gone, disappearing into the hallway with Erwin.

Still in a daze, Petra wandered over to the couches where everyone was still buzzing about what had just transpired. She gathered that her group was not the only one that had been jumped, as some of her friends had sported fresh bruises on their faces, and were animatedly telling each other what had gone down.

In every case, the groups' Scout had skillfully prevented disaster, and it made Petra feel even worse about acting so recklessly.

She needed to learn that there was a difference in protecting yourself, and protecting others. There was much more at stake if her actions made the situation worse.

"Hey, Hanji," Petra stated after a few minutes of talking with the others, and getting caught up.

"Yes?" Hanji asked in reply, looking away from Gunther.

Petra held up one of her hands, turning it to reveal her knuckles bleeding through gauze once again. "Levi told me to have someone check my bandages again. Can you?"

"Sure thing!" Hanji agreed helpfully, before turning back to Gunther. "We'll be upstairs in one of the rooms if you need us."

"There's at least one first aid kit in every room in this place," Gunther offered. "You need any extra hands?" Then he blushed at his words, realizing exactly what he had just said. "I-I meant one of the other girls! Not me!"

Petra and Hanji had laughed at his stammering, knowing that he hadn't meant Petra any disrespect. He was genuinely worried for Petra, just as Hanji was.

"I think we'll be alright by ourselves," Petra assured him, turning to head up the stairs.

"But feel free to send Levi our way, just in case Petra needs some help getting dressed again," Hanji added mischievously, referring to the time at the gym she had walked in on Levi changing Petra's dressing himself, and throwing Petra a flirtatious wink.

"Again?" Gunther asked, confused.

"Ugh! Don't listen to her! She's crazy!" Petra exclaimed, roughly dragging Hanji upstairs by her shirt collar, leaving both Gunther and the room full of teens to exchange looks ranging from confused to knowing.

* * *

"…They sound rather lively tonight, don't they?" Erwin commented, having overheard the entire exchange with Petra, Hanji and Gunther with Levi in the hallway, just outside of the living room.

"Tch, stupid brats," Levi ranted, stiffening at the memory of Petra's bare skin beneath his hands as he had rewrapped her shoulder at the gym.

"All the same, I'm sure they're still shaken up. Between the increasing number of firefights between the citizens and the soldiers, as well as what's transpiring in the entire region…" Erwin trailed off, worry coming to dominate his features, ad his eyes looking far away, but seeing nothing, deep in thought.

"What do you mean 'the entire region'?" Levi demanded, not liking the air of dread that suddenly overcame the man before him.

At his question, Erwin looked Levi dead in the eyes, his face grimmer than he'd ever seen it.

Levi stiffened, his arms uncrossing from where they had rested at his chest, and falling to his sides, as he braced himself for what was sure to be bad news.

"Aside from the fact that gangs across our own and neighboring Districts are banning together to rebel against the oppression of the soldiers...an even greater threat is lurking just beyond the Walls."

"Titans," Levi surmised, eerily sensing where the conversation was leading.

"Yes, and not just a few small packs of them, but hundreds. A heard so large it may very well wipe mankind's remaining strongholds off the map."

Erwin paused, letting the information sink in, as Levi's features visibly darkened to mirror his own emotions.

"Where are they now?" Levi asked, wanting more information.

"The northern District Nedlay, and the Eastern Districts Chlorba and Yalkell have already fallen," Erwin revealed grimly. "At the heard's current pace, they will overwhelm Southern Hermiha District within four weeks. As Hermiha is the closest remaining Walled District to Stohess, and is three weeks away, then it's safe to say that the Titans are almost two months away from here."

Levi knew that with each passing day, humankind's next threat drew ever closer, as the falling of each major District along the way only added to the Titan's increasing numbers.

"Judging by what you and the others have seen tonight, I take it you already know of the soldiers' growing misconduct, as well as their blatant disregard for the safety of the citizens."

Levi gave Erwin a look that seemed to say: 'yeah, no shit.'

"Should things continue as they are, I fear that the rest of Stohess District and its people will fall into ruin. Measures must be taken to unite the Military Police with the people, or humankind shall be our undoing, rather than the Titans. Unless we take action now, mankind faces yet another mass Migration."

"So what now? We hold hands with the men who did _this_ ," Levi gestured to the bruises on his face and his split lip, "and act like nothing happened?!"

"You'll do just that if you want the outcome of this battle to end differently than the sieges of the other Walled Districts," Erwin warned dangerously.

Levi narrowed his eyes. "What aren't you telling me?"

Erwin's face darkened to a shade Levi had never seen before in the man.

"The Military Police abandoned their Districts, and cowardly fled while they let their cities fall."


	28. Chapter 28

**Author's Note: 'Sup** ** _~Dreamers_** **! So I'm planning on asking for a bunch of days off this October. The 1** **st** **, because I'm turning 21! (in America that means you can then legally drink, which is a big deal. sadly, I'm not all that fond of alcohol) And then the 19** **th** **-21** **st** **to go to haunted house mazes/hayrides idk yet with my bf/friend (it's not really official yet** **à** **yet!) with his mom and dad, the 25** **th** **because my coworkers and I are having a bowling day (the last time I went bowling was when I was like 11 or 12, and I managed to only score 19 points… so yeah) and then the 31** **st** **cuz Halloween! (and essentially Samhain for all you fellow Wiccans/Pagans out there (yes, that is my religion/faith of choice, I don't mess with the dark stuff tho o.o ))**

 **Other than that, not much has happened in the past few days since my last update, so this Author's Note will be happily brief for you guys xD**

 **However, there are enough lemons in this chapter to supply a lemonade stand ; you're welcome** ** _~Dreamers_** **! -** **à** **that ; was my winking sour face, cuz of all da lemons!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

A Reason to Survive Ch. 28

* * *

Levi had always known those of the Military Police to be spineless cowards, but for them to abandon the innocent people whom they were counted on to protect to save their own skins…no Earthly punishment he could fathom would return the thousands of lives they had forsaken. It made him sick, and Levi had long been able to stomach the heinous acts one human could inflict on another.

"Come with me. I have something I need you to see," Erwin announced, turning to lead Levi down to the basement.

* * *

After getting yet another patch up from Hanji, Petra changed into a fresh pair of clothes. It had been nearly an hour since she had come upstairs, and Petra was now battling the urge to sleep. The trek to Erwin's had been hard and stressful enough, and their fight with the soldiers had sapped the rest of her quickly dwindling stamina.

But Levi had not come to find her yet, and though it was cold upstairs, as the only burning fire place was a few floors below her, Petra remained upstairs, waiting for him in spite of her exhaustion.

Hoping to kill some time, Petra dug around in her backpack for her phone.

If she was lucky, maybe this Erwin guy had a portable charger or something, anything, that might bring her cell back to life. This building seemed too luxurious to not have at least something that might help her out.

But as Petra continued to dig, the only thing she was able to find was her flash drive. Her phone was nowhere to be found.

After double and triple checking her bag, even going as far as dumping out its entire contents onto the cold hardwood floors before her, Petra could not find her phone. She checked a fourth time, praying that she had simply overlooked it somehow. Nothing.

Now doubting she would ever find it, Petra slumped over, feeling defeated.

Though it had been long dead, the hope she had been holding on to one day charging the device and listening to music while scrolling through pictures of her friends and family was taken away. With her phone gone, a little piece of her life before the Titans slipped away forever.

Sure, she still had her flash drive, but Petra felt finding a working computer or tablet was even more unlikely than finding a way to charge her phone.

Before she knew it, Petra found herself crying, and the candle lit room around her suddenly felt even colder, and it was as if the very walls were staring to cave in.

Trying to calm down enough to properly breathe again, as the loss of her phone and a little of her sanity that came with it had triggered another panic attack, Petra fought to compose herself. She doubted she could sleep upstairs in this cold no matter how much she bundled up, so returning downstairs was inevitable, and the last thing Petra wanted at this point was to look like she was crying again-

At that moment, a knock had brought Petra back to reality, and she hoped it was just one of the girls.

"You descent, kid?" said the voice of the last person in the world she wanted to hear right now.

Wiping her face with her hands as quietly as possible, Petra fought to find an appropriate response, but she just couldn't seem to find her voice. Maybe he'd think she was asleep and just leave.

But then Petra remembered that time Levi had checked the bandages on her shoulder her first night back within the Walls, thinking she had been asleep.

"It's too cold to sleep upstairs, kid." Levi muttered through the door, not expecting a response and speaking more to himself.

Upon hearing the knob of the door begin to turn, Petra sprang up from where she had been sitting on the floor, and held the other side of the door knob tightly, keeping it closed.

"Oi!" Levi exclaimed, both in surprise and in annoyance, having heard her practically sprint across the room just to keep him out.

"~I'll be right down!" Petra finally said in answer, her voice cracking pathetically in betrayal, while her sore hands did everything they could to keep the door closed.

For a brief couple of seconds, the resistance on the other side of the door ceased completely. Falsely believing she had won, Petra loosened her grip on the door knob.

It was in this moment of hesitation that Levi burst into the room, and the pissed look on his face made Petra back away a good few steps in fear.

"Do that shit again and next time I'll break down the damn door," Levi threatened, before taking in her tear streaked face and puffy cheeks. "What's wrong?"

Unable to find her voice right away, Petra looked down at the floor, hiccupping. "~It..-happened…-again!" When it was obvious she must be having another panic attack, Levi's angry demeanor changed immediately.

"What would you have done if no one had come to check on you? Cry yourself to sleep?" Levi asked her angrily, the thought making something drop in the pit of his stomach.

Slowly, he approached her, before carefully taking her in his arms. He held her tightly.

"Alright," he began, his voice much softer now. "I want you to focus on your breathing, just like before. Once you've calmed down enough to talk again, I want you to tell me what set you off this time." Surely something had triggered this episode?

Doing as she was told, Petra closed her eyes, burying her face in Levi's neck and drinking in his scent with every deep breath she succeeded in taking. She clung to him desperately, like a lifeline, even as she began to speak.

"~I…can't find it!" Petra whimpered.

"Can't find what?" Levi encouraged, trying to be patient with her, knowing that yelling at and being rough with her would accomplish nothing.

"~My phone!" she cried. "I-it has pictures…of my family on it! I wanted to charge it and…and…!"

Levi went rigid, remembering the stand with electronics and chargers Petra had paused at during her first supply run into town.

"What does it look like?" he asked as he began rubbing her back to comfort her.

"~We won't find it! Earlier, during the fight…I probably lost it," Petra explained, getting worked up again.

"What does it look like?" Levi repeated sternly, and Petra knew better than to make him ask her a third time.

"~The cover has a galaxy pattern on the back of it…and I wrapped my headphones around it," Petra managed, still relishing the way he smelled and felt against her.

Wordlessly, Levi pulled away from her slightly, though he kept an arm around her waist to keep her close to him.

His free arm retreated into his left hip's pocket, and produced Petra's phone before her, headphones and all.

Petra's eyes widened in disbelief, and she looked up at him in shock.

"This it?" Levi asked rhetorically, and Petra nodded, before rounding on him.

"~How-When did you…?!"

"I saw you drop it during the fight, and picked it up after we took out those bastards," Levi explained, referring to the soldiers who had jumped them earlier. Petra hesitantly retrieved her phone, holding it up to her mouth as she continued to cry, but this time in tears of joy.

"~T-Thank you! Thank you!" she squeaked gratefully, throwing her arms around him, and again, he held her tightly.

"If it was that important to you, then take better care of it. I don't need you losing your shit over something like this again. Got me?" Levi told her sternly, yet he managed to keep his voice low enough to be called gentle, at least for him.

He could feel Petra nod against his shoulder in response.

They stayed like that long after Petra had stopped crying, and Levi could tell that she was starting to drift off.

"Clean up your face the best that you can," he pulled away to look her in the eyes. "Be down in five minutes or I'll drag your ass down there myself. Understand?"

Nodding through still teary eyes and a quivering lip, Petra blurted, "Only if I can sleep next to you tonight," before realizing exactly how bad her impromptu request sounded. "I-I meant near you, not in a bed or anything!-"

"Alright." Levi allowed, much to her surprise. "Wait here."

When he began to pull away to leave, Petra found herself clinging to him, almost instinctively.

"I'll be right back," he assured her.

"~Okay," Petra agreed, her mind racing.

* * *

Several moments later, Levi returned, a large amount of fire wood in tow. The room Petra had retreated to contained a fireplace, which Levi was currently trying to make more comfortable with a fire.

"What are you doing? What about everyone downstairs?" Petra asked, glad that her flaming red cheeks weren't blatantly obvious in the darkness. She was sitting on the room's sole mattress, which had only a thin sheet to cover it, holding her knees tightly against her.

"I'm staying with you tonight. I told the others you needed some space. I sleep where ever I pass out, and the twerps downstairs know better than to wake me up. They won't come looking for us up here," Levi grunted as he struck a match into a flame, and pausing to blow the embers it created into flame.

 _'_ _I'm staying with you tonight.'_

 _'_ _They won't come looking for us up here."_

Petra's head was spinning as Levi's words echoed in her mind over and over.

"Uh-um! I can't- uh, wait a second-! I'm not ready to just-uh-hang on!" Petra stammered, and the fire now burning before them both did nothing to hide the shade of red her face was turning now.

"Oi, take it down a few notches, kid. I'm not planning on having sex with you tonight," Levi assured her, secretly enjoying the deep flush of crimson that was adorably now tinting her cheeks and ears.

"B-but you made it sound like we were all isolated! And you can't blame me for thinking you were planning something with all those misleading lines! _'I'm staying with you tonight,'_ and _'They won't come looking for us up here."_ What the Hell did you want me to think?!" Petra exclaimed, more than a little embarrassed for having misread him.

But it was then that Petra thought about what the last word in his statement hinted.

He didn't plan on sleeping with her tonight, but any other night was a different story.

"That I had no intention of taking advantage of you after a moment of weakness," Levi stated simply, not sure if he should be insulted or glad that she had thought of him in that way.

Fervently looking around her for something to throw at him, Petra settled for an extra shirt she had found in her bag.

Levi dodged it easily, catching it and throwing it back to its place on the floor with an amused smirk. Good, this meant that she was already feeling better.

"You're…impossible," Petra blushed, unable to think of a better comeback.

"If you're done, can we please go to sleep already?" Levi asked, making his way over to where she sat across the room, and pulling a neatly folded blanket out of the closet behind her Petra hadn't noticed before.

Unfolding the blanket, which was actually more like a duvet, he covered Petra whole with it, and yanked both her and the mattress closer to the fire place. As she complained, and tried to free herself, Levi joined her beneath the comforter, choosing to let her be the one closest to the fire, knowing that she didn't seem to handle the cold very well.

"Hey, I thought you said-!"

"I said I wouldn't have sex with you. I never said I wouldn't sleep with you," he reminded her, making himself comfortable. When she remained quiet, Levi knew he had won, as Petra made no attempt to escape from him.

They used Petra's now half empty bag as a pillow, and before either of them knew what was happening, Levi and Petra were spooning, their bodies parallel to the fire.

"Are you warm enough?" Levi asked after a few moments, and Petra thought that he sounded more tired than she had ever heard him before.

"…Yeah. Thank you," Petra whispered, reveling in the feel of his strong body against her back.

"Good. Now stop thinking and go to sleep," he ordered, hating how tense she felt, but understanding why she couldn't relax.

A short while passed, and he wondered if she had fallen asleep, her body no longer as rigid and tense.

"Night, brat," Levi whispered, not expecting a reply.

He suddenly felt extremely tired, the stress of the day finally hitting him, and he subconsciously held Petra tighter. However, after everything Erwin had revealed to him in the basement, Levi doubted sleep would be claiming him soon.

Petra felt like something was off about the way he was holding her, and she could sense that he was worried about something. Something more than the firefight that had driven them from their home, or her needlessly jumping into danger to save him.

"…My name isn't 'brat'…you jerk," Petra whispered, so quietly Levi almost hadn't heard her. She took his hand in hers, which was draped protectively over her stomach.

In response to her actions, Levi brought his face up to rest against her hair, before correcting his previous statement.

"Night, Petra."

To his surprise, Petra brought his hand up to her face, and she tenderly kissed his hand. Levi suppressed a growl, hating how hard she was making it for him to not take her as a man would his woman.

But all of a sudden, Levi felt lighter. Thoughts of whatever dangers awaited them beyond the brick walls of their building and the even greater threat lurking just a few weeks away from them were all temporarily chased away.

At least long enough to let him drift off for a few hours.


	29. Chapter 29

**Author's Note: 'Sup** ** _~Dreamers_** **? Hope ya'll survived the holidays! I apologize for the horrible wait (I suck $$ I know) and I honestly have no excuses other than writer's block and my own crippling depression(** **I have my good days and my bad days, and I refuse to take any medication for what I believe is more of a mental battle anyway** **)** **à** **but I digress!**

 **I'm currently visiting family in Connecticut until the 7** **th** **of January, but I'll be back to Florida soon enough! I l=took last semester off of college due to some family sh*t (funerals, drama-** **à** **and my mom got another animal -_-' should we just open a zoo at this point? That's 3 cats, a Chihuahua, the new dog is a HUSKY 3 aaaaaand a bunny)**

 **I hope everything has been better for all of you** ** _~Dreamers_** **than for me, and I truly hope that for those of you who have it worse than I do that you can find some peace in my stories (oh sh*t has it already been over a year since I updated my other one?!) ^^'**

 **I own nothing but my own sh*t and ideas!**

 **Happy holidays and warm fuzzes all around, and enjoy** ** _~Dreamers_** **!**

* * *

Petra woke much later than she had planned to. The sun was shining through the room's only window, and from the angle of the rays, it had long been up. After a good stretch, and ignoring how sore she still felt, Petra sat up.

In the fireplace was a fresh log, reigniting the now dwindling flames. Doubting anyone else had known of her nightly tryst with Levi (minus actually having any sex with him), she figured that he must have just been there, stoking the fire while she had been sleeping.

Petra could feel her face heat up at the memory of his arms around her last night, and at his breath against her hair as he had whispered her name. But her heart fell when she failed to discover him beside her now.

It hurt to think that he had just left her so easily, but Petra tried to remain positive. He was their leader after all, and she knew the others would surely give them shit if he started treating her differently than everyone else. He was probably just downstairs, figuring out what the heck their next move was.

Locating her backpack, Petra found herself a change of clothes. She had just pulled her dirty shirt over her head when someone knocked on the door.

"Petra, you up yet?"

Speak of the devil.

"Yeah," Petra answered, furiously trying to put on her other shirt. "Just give me a sec!"

"Hurry up. Erwin is already downstairs with everyone else," Levi informed her, but his tone lacked it's typical hint of annoyance. To Petra, he actually sounded…tense.

Dressing quickly, Petra rushed for the door, wanting to quickly catch up with him. However, upon opening the door, she practically ran into him.

"Jesus!" Petra exclaimed, quickly taking a step back. "Sorry, I thought you had already gone downstairs." He had waited for her. However, instead of spouting one of his famous self-degrading insults, he simply turned away, and began walking down the hallway.

He seemed off.

She jogged up beside him, before matching her strides with his own.

"What's wrong? Is it really that bad out there?" Petra asked him in concern, referring to the thugs that had started the ruckus that had driven them from their hideout last night.

Levi didn't answer her right away, and was almost pointedly not looking her in the eyes, as if to hide some of his uncertain anxiety.

"Just come downstairs."

Once downstairs with the others in the spacious living room, Petra joined Ymir and Historia, who were sitting on one of the couches near the fire.

Erwin looked around the room, and then turned to Levi, who was leaning against a wall a few feet behind him. "Is this everyone?" To that, Levi nodded. Erwin began.

"I'm certain you're all curious as to the nature of the shoot out last night. In regards to your hideout, it should be safe enough to return within the next day or so, once everything has calmed down some," Erwin informed them, and a few sighed in relief, glad they would be going back to the place they had made home. "However…"

Tension in the room was still palpable, as everyone prepared for whatever bomb they could sense Erwin was about to drop on them.

"…I've been informed by a number of sources, so I know the weight of these words, and what it means for humanity."

Erwin looked every individual around him dead in the eyes, as if to acknowledge that they were all right there in front of him, as if the reality that they were all alive was just hitting him.

"There is a Heard heading towards Stohess District, and it isn't a small one. Based on the intelligence I've gathered by eyes I have at the scene, the Heard has a number somewhere around 50,000."

Everyone was dead silent, as every person in the room let the horrific scene sink in. There were barely 25,00 people in this city. Excluding the sick, elderly, and all of the children in the city, as well as pretty much every damn soldier in the Military Police…just how much fighting strength did that leave them with?

It was as if they had all had just been given a death sentence.

"So what, we gonna relocate the entire city? Newsflash: we're surrounded by Titan country for the next hundred miles! None of the surrounding cities are large enough to handle the number of refugees! The people are already starving and fighting each other tooth and nail for other provisions!" Jean exclaimed, not liking where he thought the conversation was going. "Do you have any idea how many people would freeze or starve to death along the way?!"

"I never said I intended to abandon this city," Erwin corrected darkly, and his entire demeanor began to take on a powerful air of authority. "Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for those of the Military Police."

"Get on with it, Erwin," Levi demanded, effectively cutting off the conversations of fear that began to echo throughout the room. "Tell them what you told me."

Erwin paused for a long minute, as if to steel himself for the weight of the subject he had called everyone in to discuss.

"I take it you are all familiar with the 3D Maneuver Gear those of the Military Police possess?"

Mumbled affirmative's and nod's bubbled across the room.

3D Maneuver Gear was the sole solid advantage mankind had developed to combat the Titans on more equal ground.

A complex series of straps and harnesses secured tanks of natural gas to a person's hips, coupled with deployable grapple-like hooks to suspend them in the air, and change direction. Alongside the tanks of gas were narrow compartments which held sets of long, yet flexible steel blades.

Titans had remarkable strength, but only three real weaknesses: take out their heads, and you have about a minute or so (give or take) before their heads regenerate, permanently incapacitate them by slicing open the back of their necks, and their inability to climb things other than stairs.

Due to their lack of skill in the climbing department, fighting from higher ground became ideal. However, in terrain void of hills or structures such as buildings or trees easy to climb, the need for some sort of device to aid in human suspension became apparent.

Unfortunately, only the highest of officials were allowed access to 3D Maneuver Gear, such as those in the MPs. Should the public get ahold of such dangerous weapons, not even those of the Military Police would be able to stop them.

That is, assuming the public could even figure out how to use the gear in the first place. It took the average person one to two years to achieve the amount of control and balance needed to actually use the gear, and even longer before actually acquiring the skills necessary to slay Titans.

"I have in my possession six sets of 3D Maneuver Gear. In one week, there will be a caravan of supplies arriving from another city. 3D Maneuver Gear will be among those provisions. Whoever can best master the gear to the best of their ability within that period will assist me in securing the Gear coming into the city," Erwin explained.

"Are you shitting us right now?!" Auroro exclaimed in disbelief.

"Every part of what you just said is beyond impossible!" complained Nanaba. "You of _all_ people should know how long it takes to be able to use Maneuver Gear to a mediocre degree, let alone master it! There's no way in HELL any of us can do it in a week!"

"Where exactly could we train anyway?" Eld questioned realistically. "Hanging around in the confines of your mansion is one thing, and swinging around the city is another entirely."

Across the room, Franz shook his head. "Erwin, it just can't be done."

"So that's it? Not one of you are even willing to try? Are you all not curious to see what you are truly made of?" Erwin asked rhetorically, in obvious disappointment. "Out of every gang in this city, you are all undoubtedly the most organized, as well as the most skilled in combat. Believe me when I say that every individual in this room has the potential to accomplish the feats I am asking of you."

Petra looked down, clenching her fists beside her and wishing she would find her voice. But how on Earth could she hope to find the courage to put her life on the line for the people of the very city who had broken her trust in humanity?

Petra fearfully looked at Levi, searching his face in desperation, wanting to know just what he was thinking. When amber eyes met stormy grey, Petra noticed how unfazed Levi appeared at Erwin's outrageous proposal. For a long moment, their eyes remained locked on one another, and Petra soon realized the reason Levi had clung to her so tightly last night, as if at any second their world would come crumbling down around them.

 _'_ _Erwin must have dropped this bomb on him last night,'_ Petra thought, remembering when he had pulled Levi aside so secretively.

She mentally cursed herself for being such a coward, even though it was obviously a suicide mission. The Corps had been labeled radicals by most military officials, but heroes by the civilians whom they often protected, both from Titans, as well as from the people of other gangs. Petra had experienced firsthand the generosity and strength of the Corps gang, who had taken her in, a complete stranger.

Petra froze. Hadn't she put herself on the line for Isabel? What in her had driven her to move, to put her own life on the line to protect a girl she didn't even know? Did it make her brave to choose such an act or righteousness, or stupid?

Heavy footsteps interrupted Petra from her mental struggle of what she should or should not do under the circumstances, as Levi came to stand in the center of the room, casually polishing a knife he had retrieved from his pocket.

"Well I for one am getting more than a little tired of their shit," Levi stated matter of factly, referring to the MP's as he continued to nonchalantly polish his blade into a shine.

"You-It's practically SUICIDE!" Connie exclaimed, trying to persuade their leader against his decision. "Never mind the severe lack of preparation time or fighting the Titans- the Military Police will gun us down before we get anywhere near the Gear! How exactly do you intend on escaping with it?!"

"Armin. What do you think?" Levi asked the blond, who appeared to be carefully running over every scenario in his head.

"…Even if we do everything right, the chances of success are…minimal. But…it's possible," Armin hesitantly concluded.

"Hell, half of the MP's are drunk or high most of the time anyway. They'll be loose on their feet!" Eren figured, shaking with a mixture of fear, and excitement, at the promise of killing Titans, as well as any sort of justice for the crimes of the MPs against the public.

"Eren!" Mikasa exclaimed in horror, clearly against any idea that included the one she loved the most in the line of danger.

Erwin and Levi waited patiently for everyone to hash it out, having already made their own opinions known. Petra let herself fade into the background as those around her took sides, and began spouting arguments for or against Erwin's proposal.

The more she thought it over…the more Petra started to believe that they could actually pull it off.

Petra had seen the basic extent of what each member of the Corps could individually accomplish, so she had a pretty good idea of who did and didn't have their shit together, both mentally and physically.

As it stands, Eren was one of the best fighters, but his crazy temper and tendency to fly of the handle made him a loose cannon. Mikasa's weakness would depend entirely on Eren – if they aren't together, Mikasa can't keep her head in a fight, but if they're together, she'd put the entire group at risk just to save him. Armin, while not the best of fighters, was a certifiable genius, put Petra had yet to see how he dealt with strategizing when under pressure.

Berthold, Reiner, and Annie were as much a trio as Eren, Armin, and Mikasa. Berthold and Reiner were plenty strong, but neither seemed too bright upstairs. After her confrontation with Annie during last week's matches, Petra knew with certainty working with her would be more than a little uncomfortable.

That guy Franz and his girlfriend Hannah fell under the same category as Eren and Mikasa, and Petra worried if she and Levi fell under the same category, though she doubted she was any saner then Eren at this point. Levi had already proven fairly immune to favoritism among the younger members, and would not likely jeopardize the safety of the entire group because of personal issues.

Ymir had always been very protective of Historia, and while Historia had a fluid combat style, she was far too gentle. Jean was agile, and had demonstrated plenty of potential to be a halfway decent leader, but he was too much of an asshole to be counted on to boost anyone's morale if things got dicey.

Out of everyone: Erwin, Levi, Hanji, Oluo, Gunther, and Eld were the obvious choices, as they were the oldest and most experienced members of the Corps. That left one spot open, unless Erwin dipped out to orchestrate things behind the scenes. Then two spots, but one would likely be filled by someone who could strategize, like Ricco or Armin, but only if they proved that they could handle the Gear.

It looks like they'd all have to duke it out for the last slate.


	30. Chapter 30

**Author's Note: 'Sup ~Dreamers! So I wasn't originally too excited for this chapter because it started out kinda slow and I wasn't expecting it to be more than a little filler and world building to lead up to the next big chapters that I have planned. Isn't it funny how the script just kinda gets thrown out the window sometimes when the story starts to take on a life of its own?**

 **Also a little reminder that I've started a new semester of college, so I'm kinda trying to crank out some material for you ~Dreamers to chew on before I get too busy! (I know, I know, its about the quality of the chapters, and not the quantity- aw F that, why not both?!) ;D**

 **Also, do I really have to keep saying that I don't own AOT, cuz I'm pretty damn certain all of us know that I don't** **à** **or I'd be rolling in it! $q$** **ß** **that was a drooling money face if ya'll couldn't tell (I may live in the Southern U.S. but I don't have an accent or anything, I just think it's fun to say ya'll!)**

 **Enjoy ~Dreamers!**

* * *

 **ARTS Ch.30**

* * *

"So how are we doing this?" asked Connie. "Like, we train on a regular basis at our own place, but how are we going to train with 3DMG in a basement?"

"Wait we're actually gonna do this?!" Sasha asked, realizing he gravity of the situation, and the very real chance of their little mission ending in failure, and in the worst case scenario, the end of them.

"But there's no way-" Historia began, but was cut off by Ymir.

"I'm out," Ymir stated simply. "I'm not courageous or selfless enough to risk my ass to save the same bastards who keep screwing all of us over."

Some people were stunned by her response, but Petra had more or less expected it.

They had all taken on that sort of attitude after the children in their group had passed away. No longer did those in Petra's circle play at being the good Samaritan to strangers who would never even think of repaying the favor. No more handouts, just duck and cover, do what you had to for those important to you, and no one else.

Petra had lived by those principles like a motto, and even more so when she had been separated from her friends. Her time on the other side of the Walls had hardened her. However, something in her, perhaps the remnants of the warm hearted girl she used to be, made her stick out her own neck to save Isabel. Was that courage, or stupidity?

Everyone began to fight amongst one another over the smart thing to do, which was probably to bail now, or the right thing to do, which was to make a stand, both against the MPs, and for the sake of humanity.

"I'm not demanding a decision from you all right this moment. Think it over, and present your answers to me by sundown," Erwin announced, clearly trying to play mediator.

Ymir turned to leave the room, nodding at Petra on her way out. Levi watched as Petra caught up with her in the doorway.

"So? What do you think about all of this? You going or staying?" Ymir asked her.

"…Where would we even go? Another District? If this one falls, say half of these people become Titans. They'll feed on the remaining survivors and people who didn't make it out in time, and then what? They'll make their way to another city, and then another, and then another. Rinse, wash, repeat," Petra told, her, breaking it down.

"You aren't seriously thinking about staying, are you?" Ymir asked, not liking the tone Petra's illustration had taken, and Ymir ripped both of Petra's shoulders. "We could be a group again! You, me, Jean seems against it and I'm sure he'd be glad to get away from Eren, Historia, Reiner-" Ymir noticed how Petra was looking away from her. "…What, did you get…attached to these guys?"

"Are you saying you aren't?!" Petra asked her, unzipping her jacket and roughly pulling down the collar of her shirt, exposing her winged tattoo. " _This_ means something to me! I got _shot_! They could've left me to die out there – they didn't even know me!"

"Petra, you saved Isabel, you don't owe them anything!" Ymir told her, before taking note of how labored Petra's breathing had become. "Hey! Take a breath-"

"Can't you see already?!" Petra panted, as if she had just run a mile. "I'm damaged goods now! Last I checked-…Titans don't give you a minute to catch your breath! I don't know if I can fight-…but I WILL!" Petra was on her knees now, wheezing as if the world had come crashing down on her. Ymir steadied her. "I'll make them pay-…for what I've become!"

It was then that Ymir realized that Petra wasn't trying to play the hero. For her, defeating the Titans was all she had left. For Petra, it was personal.

When Petra's wheezing turned into hiccup-like gags, Ymir knew Petra needed help. But before she could even open her mouth to call for anyone's help, Levi was right there next to them, hoisting Petra up into his arms.

"I've got her," Levi told Ymir, looking her dead in the eyes, as if he was declaring much more in that statement than not dropping Petra. "She's having another attack. All we can do is let it take its course. Don't follow us, she doesn't need a crowd." Without another word, Levi quickly whisked Petra up what sounded to Ymir like several flights of stairs.

All Ymir could do was watch.

 _"_ _I've got her."_ Those words echoed in her mind, over and over.

"We've got her, too!" Historia suddenly exclaimed from behind her, and Ymir turned to see not only Historia, but Jean and Reiner as well.

All of them were saluting like idiots, one hand behind their backs, the other slamming a fist against their hearts.

"I've already screwed up my chances to become an MP," Jean said, looking terrified, "but I know that dumb ass Marco would be the idiot doing this if he was…still alive."

"Well Hell, it's not like I have anything better to do!" Reiner exclaimed, and if the situation wasn't so touching, Ymir might have cracked a smile.

Ymir clenched both her jaw, and both her fists.

* * *

Levi had taken Petra to their room. He kicked the mattress on the floor closer to the fire, which was thankfully still ablaze, and sat down, cradling Petra in is lap. Keeping a firm hold on her with one hand, he reached behind them to grab a blanket. Petra was starting to break out into a cold sweat, and Levi pulled it over her shoulders to warm her up. He kept the blanket away from her face so that she could still breathe.

"That's right kid, in and out," Levi told her, demonstrating, as Petra's face was buried in is chest, and close to his lungs. He kept up the charade until she began to breathe a little more evenly. However, when she continued to struggle, he tried a different tactic.

"Petra, look at me," Levi commanded, pulling back from her slightly to tilt her chin up. He took a deep, calm breath, before taking her mouth in his own.

Petra's mind, which was already racing, suddenly went blank. But what she had originally thought was a kiss turned out to be a sort of CPR. He would only pull away from her once she breathed in a decent breath, but he always came back.

Her panic converted into content, as she focused instead on the feel of his lips, the warmth of is body, and his wonderful spice like scent, which reminded her of sandalwood, or the ocean. She moaned softly into him, sighing as she finally began to relax.

Now, her mind was racing for a different reason.

"…Thank you," Petra finally managed after breaking their kiss, but she didn't pull away from him, hoping to hide her flushed face in his shoulder. However, Levi could still make out the pink blush that had crept up to her ears.

"So you're dead set on fighting? Even with how you are now?" Levi asked after a long silence, stroking her fiery hair and referring to her now embarrassingly frequent panic attacks. As he waited for her to find the words to answer, he listened for her breathing to deepen, and become more even.

"…I can't imagine myself doing anything else besides fighting alongside you," Petra blurted, before hurrying to edit her blatant confession to the man currently embracing her. "I-I mean, all of you!"

Levi tensed in her arms, and Petra hoped her words hadn't made him uncomfortable. However, her fears were swept away when he held her even tighter against him.

But then Levi pushed her away, holding her at arms' length by either of her shoulders, forcing her to make eye contact.

"Then you can fight with us. On one condition," he began, and Petra listened intently. "Learn to control your attacks. I realize asking you to cease them all at once is cruel, and probably damn near impossible, but it's the only way I'm letting you fight."

Petra felt something drop in her stomach, and she forced herself to stay calm.

"…Letting me? Like- and sorry if I sound like a wise ass for saying this but, just what are you going to do if I can't? Tie me up and throw away the key?"

Levi only looked at her, the light all but fading from his grey-blue eyes.

"If I have to."

This touched a nerve with Petra.

"Then I'll break free somehow and run as fast as I can to where ever the Hell you are and fight with you anyway!"

"I'll knock you out," he countered, and Petra suddenly felt hyperaware of his strong hold on her shoulders.

"Then I'll just wake up and then break out and join all of you!" she continued.

" _'_ _Just wake up?'_ Sorry kid, but it doesn't work that way. Once I hit you, you're out," Levi threatened, annoyed with her hard-headedness.

Petra steeled herself, the light leaving her own amber orbs.

"Then whenever I come to…" she pressed, her voice eerily calm.

"Stop that…"

"…I'll scale the nearest Wall, and fight any and every Titan that crosses my path…"

"Kid!" he shook her, hard, as if to physically knock some sense into her.

"…until I'm dead. I want to fight those monsters that took everything away from all of us. I want to stay with you, for the rest of my life. …Its okay if you don't feel the same way, I guess I can learn to live with that, but I'll follow you 'til the end."

Levi just stared at her, eyes wide with disbelief. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't think or move, and sometime during his shock, Petra took both of his hands off her shoulders, and brusquely fled the room, afraid of what he might say when he finally found the words to answer her.

Petra returned to the living room without him, where the others were still gathered. As Petra listened to see where conversation had taken them in her absence, she gathered amongst the arguing that they were looking for a place to safely practice with the Maneuver Gear.

Erwin had stated that soon after stealing the Gear, they would begin acquiring balance in his mansion's basement for a few days, in hopes of the best of them graduating to suspend from the buildings of their crumbling city.

"Well there's no place I can think of within the Walls where the Military Police won't see us and be all like _"Oh, its just them again!"_ " Jean added rhetorically, in the asshole way that only Jean could.

"Then we'll just have to train outside the city," Hanji added matter of factly, as if they were discussing what they were having for dinner that night, instead of choosing terrain that may or may not get them killed.

"…What about my old place?" Petra offered. All heads turned to face her, and Petra tried not to think about the multitude of eyes on her. Shit, did her eyes still look puffy from crying? She could always blame her panic attack. Everyone probably already knew about it by now anyway.

 _"_ _Don't think about him now!"_

"The place you were staying before coming to this city?" Erwin guessed, having heard a little about her set up from Levi.

Petra nodded. "It's a few miles outside the Walls, in the abandoned region of Stohess District. The layout of the buildings is practically identical to this side of town, and its far enough away from the District we won't have to worry about the MPs," Petra's demeanor darkened. "And there are plenty of Titans to go around."

"…It would be ideal," Farlan seconded, hand brushing his chin as he thought it over, having seen Petra's set up himself. "She even had running water."

Erwin shared a look with Farlan and Hanji, both being older members the older man trusted completely, and wanting their opinions, as each had seen this place before.

"Is there enough room for all of us?" Mikasa asked, hating the thought of Eren flying off the handle in Titan country, and wanting to know more.

"It's a five story gym, so yeah, there's more than enough room," Petra assured them.

"It's decided then. Once we have acquired more sets of Maneuver Gear, those who still wish to fight will train beyond the Walls," Erwin stated. "As for how we shall acquire the Maneuver Gear, here is my plan of action..."


	31. Chapter 31

**Author's Note" 'Sup _~Dreamers_! Sorry for a kind of late update. I won't bother b*tching about the stresses of my job again, at least i have one, right? School has been kinda rough too, i had to drop my Statistics class because i just couldn't understand him. He was a decent teacher but i just couldn't grasp larger concepts because i'm still struggling with the basics i (should've) learned in Algebra. Lesson to all of you, pay attention in school as a kid, because it only gets worse from there. And don't get divorced and make your kid chance high schools. That kinda messed me up too.**

 **T^T**

 **I pray that the rest of you _~Dreamers_ have more success in math than me, and that you can lose yourself in my stories to forget about all those stressful things.**

 **I own nothing except my own sh*t and ideas!**

 **~Enjoy _~Dreamers_!**

* * *

ARTS Ch. 31

* * *

Nightfall came quickly, but to many members, it had felt like an eternity. Everyone found solace in being alone, as Petra did on the building's roof, or secluding themselves in one of the many empty rooms of Erwin's mansion. A few members sat in groups consisting of their closest friends, but no one said anything. The mansion was eerily quiet, lit only by the fires in each room, and the grim faces of those who had already made their decision.

It had been only a few hours since Erwin had stated his proposal, and already it was time for the verdicts.

However, despite all the outrage and opinions of the ones who had rejected Erwin's proposal with practically every fiber in their being, every member of the Corps gang had unanimously agreed to stay. Even Annie, Ymir, and Jean.

There were tears and clenched fists, teeth chattering audibly in terror, a few clutching at a cross in silent prayer, begging their saviors for their lives.

Each of them had seen what Titans could do first hand, and none of them wanted any part of the true purpose of this operation. But each person in the room had his or her own motivation for pressing forward. To avenge a friend, or to bring some sort of justice to the monsters who had taken away a family member or a lover. Everyone had their own reasons for standing in that room.

Petra and Levi did everything in their power not to meet gazes, fearful of what they might find lurking in the eyes of the other.

* * *

Erwin took in the expressions of all who stood before him in the room, before standing up straight, and slamming his right fist over is heart to offer a salute.

"If you are ready to lay down your lives for the sake of Humanity, then throw away your former selves, and offer your hearts to the Titans now!"

" **Sir!** " everyone saluted, some faster than others.

"I have devised a plan of action, if you will all follow me," Erwin announced, before leading everyone downstairs.

In place of the mats were dozens of metal chairs, lined up in rows. Erwin gestured for everyone to sit, apart from two people holding open a map of the city. Erwin produced a black marker from the depths of his shirt's breast pocket, and proceeded to draw dots representing the number of trucks in the caravan in the formation they will likely be in, located by the Western entrance to the city.

"We will need to divide into squads of four to five. Once each group is in position, Squad One will provide us with a distraction using explosives."

Hanji's cue to wheel in an impressive cart carrying four boxes marked TNT, and with an unsettling eager expression.

"Oi, get her the Hell away from that shit," Levi demanded when he saw her glasses gleam in excitement, causing Auroro and Eld to stand up from where they were seated to pull her away, and confiscate a stick of Dynamite that she had tried to pocket in the sleeve of her jacket.

"Squad Two will remain on standby in the event Squad One requires assistance," Erwin continued, unfazed by the event that had just transpired before him. "The remaining Squads will be divided into Fighters, and those of the Recovery Squad. The Fighters will defend against all opposition, and the Recovery Squad will use the smoke from Squad One's explosives as cover to move in and secure the gear. These men," Erwin raised his voice slightly, and about ten men and women filed in, "will act as Snipers, protecting us from above."

Petra eyed the newcomers warily, not exactly liking the idea of entrusting her life to strangers. Each of them was wearing a Military Police uniform.

These people will be our inside guys, shooting at the MPs instead of at the Corps. The MPs will be none the wiser.

"…it could work," Armin mumbled next to Petra, thinking aloud. "We certainly have the numbers, anyhow."

"At least for now," Petra muttered darkly, realizing the gravity of their situation. Even with their best fighters, any one of them could be ended with a bullet. This, Petra knew all too well. But how many of them could adapt quickly enough to the Gear to complete the raid in a week?

Petra scanned the room, eyeing everyone around her and mentally running through everything she did and didn't know about each of their skills. As for the younger members, Petra felt she could predict them pretty well mentally, as well as their skill sets, but there were still too many unknowns concerning the older members' capabilities.

One thing she did know, Levi would probably no doubt be in the top slates, judging by what little she had seen from him. Something about his cold eyes and brutish demeanor hinted to her that he was at the very least fairly confident in his own abilities.

It was this same nature that had unwillingly drawn her to him.

"So when can we start practicing with the gear?" Petra asked suddenly, pushing away her last train of thought, and wanting Erwin to cut the suspense. She ignored the feeling of claustrophobia starting to set in, being packed like sardines practically arm to arm with everyone in the basement.

"Levi, if you will," Erwin cued, and Levi walked upstairs briefly, before returning with a single set of the once forbidden 3DMG. Petra took note of his every movement, as well as the muscles peeking out of his collar, which he had loosened due to all the body heat in the packed space.

"Watch closely brats, I'm not showing you this twice," Levi commanded, before demonstrating how to fasten the complex series of leather straps and harnesses to his body. He then secured two large metal boxes to each of his hips, each containing three sets of blades. At this point, he walked over the cart with TNT and reached into one of the boxes, before producing two tanks of gas, which he then secured to the tops of the blade holsters at his sides. From there, he connected small tube from the tanks to the hand clutches, before demonstrating how each clutch worked.

"It's really a pain in the ass to explain it all in detail. The only real way to learn everything is by actually doing it," Levi explained.

"Whenever you're ready," Erwin announced.

"Tch, don't rush me, Eyebrows," Levi complained in annoyance, clearly not use to taking orders.

And then he clicked to buttons on both clutches simultaneously, before two grapple like hooks were instantly deployed, nestling themselves in the ceiling. Another series of clicks forced his body upward. Using the wires of the grapple, Levi swung himself to one of the ledges of the windows, before releasing the grapples from the ceiling.

They recoiled instantly, and Levi took to his new seat on the ledge almost smugly, some twenty or so feet above them.

"That was amazing!" Eren exclaimed, blown away by their Leader's skill and precision. Others in the room had similar reactions, as feelings of awe and curiosity bubbled through the room.

"There's no way I can do that!" Armin whispered fearfully to Mikasa, wondering if he could ever learn to be so coordinated.

"It looks like it takes a toll on the body though," Petra surmised. "Swinging ourselves through the air like that while being sure to maintain perfect balance, that's practically using every muscle in your body. Even if by some miracle we don't all crash and burn badly tomorrow – which I'm pretty sure we will – we're gonna be _so_ sore…"

"Alright, who would like to go first?" Erwin encouraged, his face stoic.

Everyone looked up at Levi, and then back to his Gear, with dread.

* * *

The older members had confided that they had used the Gear before on a past mission Erwin had asked for their help. Their experience didn't exactly make them pros, but their sharp reflexes and preexisting knowledge of the Gear was invaluable. They drilled everyone on the basics, like how to aim and deploy the grapple hooks; the importance of maintaining balance at all times, everything.

From what Petra could see, using the gear would require a lot of climbing, and crazy upper body strength, as each person using the Gear hoisted themselves up onto a ledge or balanced on some sort of foothold on the walls and ceiling above them. She watched as the older members demonstrated how to balance yourself when hanging in place. Then they demonstrated using the gear themselves, just as Levi had, all with flawless coordination.

If you missed a step or failed to deploy the grapple hooks in time with one another, you would either **a**. crash into a wall or building head on, or **b**. plummet however far to the ground and face a serious injury or even death, or if you were really unlikely, **c**. all of the above.

They broke into groups, as each of the older members allowed the younger members to try their luck.

When the time finally came for Petra's turn, she had already grasped at least the basics from watching the others, but she knew any amount of knowledge was useless if you could not apply it, and that was not even the worst part.

Of all people, Levi was her instructor.

Similar in height, not much adjusting was necessary for the harnesses, and Petra doubted she could yet figure out the complicated array of straps and buckles anyway. Levi had helped steady her as she stepped into the leather straps, casually placing her hand on his shoulder to help her keep her balance while she pulled on the body harness over each of her legs.

Petra blushed slightly, fighting to focus on the task at hand instead of the fact that she had essentially just confessed to him upstairs. Though there were several layers of fabric between her hand and his shoulder, Petra could feel his warmth through his dark jacket. His lips had been warm too…

"Ready, Petra?" Levi asked suddenly, after tightening some of the straps around her waist, and abruptly snapping her back to reality. He didn't call her kid this time, and Petra couldn't decide if she was happy about this fact or not.

"No," Petra admitted honestly, reluctantly removing her hand from his shoulder.

"Are you scared?" Levi rephrased simply, focusing his stormy eyes on amber.

"You're gonna have to be more specific," Petra wondered boldly. "If you mean of what we're about to do, and all the Titans we'll have to take out after we steal more Gear-"

"You're thinking too far ahead, Petra," Levi told her. "Right now, focus on your balance. The fancy turns and shit can wait. Train so hard you can't think of anything else."

"…Is that what you do?" Petra asked him knowingly.  
"It'll get you through this," was all he said in response, his lack of an answer enough. He turned Petra around, holding her shoulders from behind. "See that ledge up there?"

Petra nodded, looking up to see the same ledge he had perched on not long ago.

"Yeah. I see it," Petra said. "What about it?"

Levi only looked at her, before releasing his hold on her shoulders.

"Get up there."


	32. Chapter 32

**Author's Note: 'Sup** ** _~Dreamers_** **! Sorry for the delay, it's almost finals time and school and work have been sending me over the deep end! The few times I got any time to write I found myself too exhausted to sit down without wanting to curl up and catch up on some Z's!**

 **I hope you all have been well and I threw in a little comedy for this chapter to lighten the mood of ARTS a bit, because the next couple of chapters are gonna get pretty dark pretty fast.**

 **I hope you** ** _~Dreamers_** **are in suspense, because I'm finally gonna get the ball rolling. In future chapters, expect death, despair, and lemons! *laughs maniacally***

 **I don't own jacksh*t!**

 **Enjoy** ** _~Dreamers_** **!**

* * *

ARTS Ch 32

* * *

"Get up there," Levi commanded Petra a second time.

Wishing fervently that she could quell her nerves, and severely doubting she could ever change their Leader's mind, Petra squeezed the clutches in both of her hands simultaneously. Two grapple hooks launched from the containers at her sides, before imbedding themselves in the ceiling above them.

"Okay, now I think I just-" Petra began, attempting to talk herself through it, before accidentally easing up her hold on the clutches. The slight series of clicking set off the gas tanks at her sides, violently propelling her body upwards without warning.

Petra squeaked a bit in surprise - quite literally, but she was moving too fast for her to be embarrassed about the involuntary noise now – and she fought to get her bearings. The ceiling was rushing up to meet her, and she only had half a second to figure out a landing strategy.

Adapting quickly, Petra vaulted her already sore body up onto one of the wooden beams supporting the ceiling, finding a perch even more secure than the ledge Levi had previously rested on. She had intended to aim for that ledge instead, but the sudden change in plans had forced her onto a beam around two meters away.

"I uh…meant to do that?" Petra covered lamely, smiling nervously down at everyone from her perch. No one had seemed to care about her obvious blunder, more impressed by her reflexes if anything. Petra, however, was internally kicking herself, knowing damn well a blunder like that could've proved fatal had it been under any other situation.

Finding Levi's gaze, Petra looked at him pathetically, her expression pleading for some sort of direction, or instructions on what to do to get down – anything.

From where he stood behind everyone else, still cheering below apart from Erwin, Levi raised his hand, beckoning her with his finger.

Petra's eyes widened into something that was probably akin to golf ball sized.

Now he wanted her to come down.

All Petra wanted to do was cry, knowing that any screw up could really hurt, as she was now like two, no, like three stories above the ground.

From the ground, Levi could see her shaking, but he crossed his arms, and waited.

And waited.

"…Um, guys? How do I get down?" Petra finally asked after a moment, hating how pathetic she sounded but also deciding she needed some guidance.

The sound of hissing gas and a blur of movement to her left was all the warning Petra had before Levi was perched beside her.

"I'll show you this once, so pay attention brat," Levi announced.

"Oh my God stop calling me brat-"

"I said pay attention," he commanded again.

"Y-Yes sir!" Petra practically shouted, earning her a glare from Levi.

"Don't call me that."

"What? You mean 'Sir'?" Petra asked, confused as to why he suddenly cared. They were like thirty feet in the air and teetering off a support beam and he decided to get pissy now?

"It makes me feel old," was all Levi said in response.

"Well 'brat' makes me feel like a kid. And while we're at it so does 'kid.' Like, what are you, my dad?"

"I call everyone 'brat' and 'kid.' Don't think you're special, Ginger," Levi said with a face that looked bored, but knew the new nickname would only tick her off even more.

That was it.

"You're impossible!" Petra yelled back at him, only half angry, as an excited feeling trickled through her at the sight of the mirth in his eyes.

Now motivated and far too worked up to be scared, Petra again experimented with the metal clutches in her hands. Again, the grapples at her sides deployed, lodging into the support beam just ahead of them. From there, all Petra had to do was let herself drop from her own beam, before plummeting to the ground, thankfully with more control than when she had ascended.

Using her body weight to propel her, Petra swung herself into an easy landing, not needing the gas at her sides and instead letting gravity return her to the ground.

On the ground, Petra was greeted with relieved hugs, enthusiastic slaps on the back, while others begged her for pointers on how she did it.

"Uh, instinct?" Petra answered lamely, rubbing the back of her head nervously.

"But when Eren tried it he nearly bashed his skull open," Jean added, as if it was second nature, or outright obligation, to kill the mood.

"Hey, we all know that was because my stupid belt was broken!" Eren defended, his forehead sporting a bandage from the very occurrence.

The once opted 3DMG squad of seven was from them on purged to only six. Erwin had opted for Armin to join the squad in his stead, knowing the boy, while not exactly great with the Maneuver Gear as of just yet, would prove more beneficial as the team's second strategist (second to Hanji) and could offer more than his own brawn.

"That was very well done, Petra," Erwin complimented. "Apart from your initial ascension, your reflexes and adaption skills were sound. For those of you wondering who will be securing themselves a position on the Scouting Squad, Petra now has the greatest chance. Learn from her."

"Yes, Sir!" the younger members saluted, leaving Petra at the mercy of everyone's questions.

* * *

Still above them, Levi slouched lazily on the support beam, before sharing a grave look with Erwin not likely seen by any of the other members. Finally deciding to descend, Levi joined the blond man on the ground, already sensing that the taller man had something to discuss.

Leaving the rest of the members with Hanji and those more experienced with the Gear to continue training, Levi and Erwin climbed the stairs to the first floor, exiting the basement.

"Why all the secrecy?" Levi asked as soon as they were out of earshot, knowing that whatever Erwin was about to say, the fact that it required privacy made Levi instantly uneasy.

"Concerning Petra," Erwin began, and if Levi hadn't been all ears before, then he certainly was now.

"You really think she's Scouting material?" Levi asked.

"You've seen her skills for yourself," Erwin prompted.

"She's a time bomb, one we don't need to go off during the Raid," Levi explained.

"Yes, I'm aware of her panic attacks. However, that is a risk I am willing to take," Erwin said seriously.

"A risk we don't need to take," Levi pressed. "Assign her to one of the Recovery Squads and we'll make it a point to get her one of the first sets of Gear we get our hands on from the MP's."

"Are you thinking objectively, or are you letting your feelings for Petra do the thinking for you?" Erwin asked bluntly, taken aback by Levi's unusual hesitation to do what was necessary, and twisting the knife.

Levi only glared at him, denying nothing. "Both, but I'm at least sane enough not to lose my shit and act on those emotions when things get dicey. I'm not sure she completely has that control."

There was a pause as Erwin let that sink in for a moment.

"I'm not worried about you losing it. I am worried about Petra, but my intention of assigning her to the Scouting Squad was not simple due to her obvious affinity with the Maneuver Gear."

"Then what is?" Levi demanded, keeping his voice low, yet a shade more menacing than Erwin had initially expected, even from Levi.

Unperturbed, Erwin continued. "I'm assigning her to the Scouts now only for her skill, but also for your own piece of mind."

"If you're so worried about me keeping my head in the game because I'd be worried about her, then assign her to the damn Recovery Squad," Levi persisted, growing irritated.

"From what I've gathered from everyone else, you seem to be the only one who can calm her attacks, even prevent them from occurring. You have proven to me several times to be…rather protective of her."

"You sayin' you want me to be her stress ball?" Levi asked bluntly.

"You should know better than anyone that she'll only respond to you," Erwin said calmly. "Even if I put her in one of the Recovery Squads, if something sets her off, can you trust with certainty the others can calm her down?"

At this, Levi was silent. He highly doubted it.

"If not for your own sanities, then for the sake of Humanity. Unless another with greater skills can surpass both her own and your current abilities to take your place on the Scouting Squad, the both of you are hereby assigned to the Scouts," Erwin said with finality, before turning around and descending the basement stairs once again.

The only thing Levi found himself capable of doing was grinding his teeth.

* * *

Bathing that night had been an event in and of itself. Taking turns melting bowls of snow by the fire, members retreated to their rooms with the heated water, before toweling themselves clean with bars of soap and wash cloths. It took around two hours of their night to get everyone changed and in bed, as it took time to melt and heat up the bowls of water two to three at a time.

Some of the members hadn't wanted to at all, limbs too sore and tired from their long day's training, but Levi had made it clear he refused to live under the same roof as brats who smelled like a bunch of animals.

To most of them, their Leader's insistence for them all to practice good hygiene was a little overkill at times, but considering the reality of how hard it was to stay clean nowadays, it was understandable.

Medicine was hard to come by, so something as simple as a cold could prove to be fatal. Knowing this, it made perfect sense to at least attempt to wash up a little.

Petra had opted to washing up in Ymir and Historia's room, not wanting to risk the embarrassment of Levi walking in on her, or vice versa.

"-So, where have you been sleeping, Petra?" Ymir teased, sitting on the edge of one of the beds, having already finished washing up.

"Uh-um-…just downstairs," Petra stammered, fighting to pull her own shirt back on, now finished washing up herself.

"Then why are you turning so red?" Historia asked in her innocent little voice, ganging up on her, and choosing to side with Ymir.

"I-I'm probably still sweating?" Petra defended lamely, looking anywhere but at her friend's faces.

"So, who have you been sneaking off to every other night?" Ymir asked Petra slyly, knowing full well the object of her friend's affections, and enjoying the distressed way Petra fiddled with her fingers. "Let's see, Mikasa would kill you if it was Eren, so he's out. I know Jean had a thing for you before we got separated a few months ago, buuuut I'm pretty sure he's moved onto crushing on Mikasa now, and he's not your type at all."

"Oh, and you know my type?" Petra asked exasperatedly.

"I know that you wouldn't go for any of the older members because one: they're in their late thirties or early forties, and two: you haven't known them long enough to get attached to them in the first place," Historia added matter-of-factly.

"We also know that Connie is too…well, Connie for you, and that you had the chance to get with Reiner and Berthold when it was just us, so it can't be them…the only people I can really see you getting it on with would be Farlan…" Ymir looked pointedly at Petra, who was vainly trying to keep her composure, "…or Levi."

"Soooooo who is it?!" Historia persisted.

"You know you have to tell us now right? We're down to two guys, we'll figure it out soon enough," Ymir reasoned.

"Shut up, Ymir. You already know," Petra whined in defeat.

"I want to hear it from you. Otherwise, we might spread the wrong gossip-" Ymir shrugged, as if this fact were no big deal to her.

"It's none of their business either way…" Petra snapped, "…but…i-it's…..Levi."

"Whoa, really?!" Historia exclaimed in disbelief. "I was sure it was Farlan!"

"Alright, Historia, you have to do it now," Ymir prompted.

"NO WAY!" Historia exclaimed suddenly, suddenly clutching at her chest defensively.

"Wait- you two were betting on me?!" Petra exclaimed herself. Had she really been that obvious?

"On whoever it was that took your V card, yes," Ymir stated smugly. "Loser has to take off their bra and run through the mansion screaming 'Petra lost it!' while swinging their bra around in the air."

"He hasn't- We never- I'M STILL A VIRGIN!" Petra screamed, losing her cool at their crudeness. "Shit, I hope no one heard that…"

"Seriously?" Ymir asked, not pegging Levi as a cuddler.

"Well then I'm not doing it! The dare is off!" Historia cried victoriously, jumping up onto her feet with fists in the air while Petra covered her face in her hands in exasperation.

"You guys really can't tell anyone though!" Petra yelled over Historia's whooping. "He's our Leader. I don't want anyone to think he's treating me any differently than everyone else, or that I'm using him to get in good with the older members and Erwin."

"Okay, okay," Ymir conceded, raising her hands in defeat. "But it's kind of obvious. Like, I'm pretty sure that everyone doesn't know about your late-night trysts-"

"-If you insist on calling them that," Petra deadpanned, rolling her eyes.

"-with our not so beloved Leader, but everyone knows you two have…something going on," Ymir gestured suggestively.

"Well then I'll deal with them later," Petra argued stubbornly, grabbing her backpack and an extra pillow and blanket. "And since I've been found put, then I don't need to wait for the two of you to pass out to leave anymore."

"Flee, Juliet! Flee to the side of your beloved Romeo!" Ymir began dramatically, speaking in a French accent, and adding in a flourish.

"Because we all know how that ended," Petra rolled her eyes, heading for the door.

"Petra, wait!" Historia exclaimed suddenly, before rushing up to Petra's side.

"What now?" Petra asked in annoyance, hand already turning their door's knob.

"Do you have any condoms?" Historia asked quietly, so that Ymir wouldn't overhear them. "I'm not asking to embarrass you this time, I promise! But…this isn't exactly the time to…you know, get pregnant."

"We're not like that," Petra told her, trying not to sound too snappy this time. It was a legitimate concern.

Not only would bringing a baby into this violent, unforgiving world be cruel enough, but the later part of the pregnancy would leave Petra vulnerable, as she would undoubtedly be far less mobile with a bloated stomach.

"No, I don't have any, but…we'll be smart. I promise," Petra whispered honestly, having never thought her and Levi's relationship would ever progress to that point, despite how steamy and passionate some of their kisses had become. "Thanks for worrying about me, Christa."

"Do you even know how big he is?" Ymir chimed in. "Or I guess how small."

"Ymir!" Historia warned, blushing herself.

Well, it seems they weren't quiet enough.

"I mean, he's short and angry, so it could be small and he's just taking it out on the rest of the world," Ymir theorized. "But he's pretty muscular, so he could be really big-"

Not wishing to listen to the dark turn the conversation had suddenly taken, Petra fled the room, pointedly slamming the door behind her.


	33. Chapter 33

**Author's Note: 'Sup** ** _~Dreamers_** **! So I somehow made it through finals week (through the loving grace of the Gummy Bear Gods!) and I put my two weeks in at McDonalds. I love everyone I work with but the job is just too stressful. My hands break out because of the harsh chemicals, I can't have cool hair colors or do my nails, and I really just miss being ME! I have this sort of online job thing going on, but its payment by commission due to how much you can sell, so if that doesn't work out I'll try my hand at retail somewhere.**

 **Preferably somewhere I won't get cursed out by some a$$hole over a damn pickle.**

 **This came at a pretty bad time as I'm about to be jobless and should probably be saving money, but I got invited by a friend at work to go to Mega Con in Orlando! They paid for the four nights already, and in return I'll be driving and pitching in with my friend Kiran ( I call her Kiri ) ot pay for our other friend who can't on her own. I'm so excited and I'm not even gonna worry about the money, because I really just wanna let loose for a change!**

 **Enjoy the chapter guys, and maybe I'll run into a few of you there! (We will have no idea of course, but that whole mystery in itself is kinda cool lol)**

 **Enjoy** ** _~Dreamers_** **!**

* * *

ARTS Ch 33

* * *

Petra managed to carry all of her things up to Levi's room, her backpack slung over her shoulder, and her pillow and comforter bundled up in her arms. Having just sprinted up several flights of stairs after bolting out of the girls' room, Petra was understandably out of breath.

She paused to sit at the top of the stairs, hoping to calm her breathing before entering Levi's room a few doors down.

 _Levi's room_.

Heat rising again in her cheeks, Petra fought to forget the awkwardness of the last few moments.

She was most definitely _not_ just discussing how big Levi was!

Whimpering helplessly in embarrassment, Petra returned her focus again to regain control of her breathing.

Unfortunately for Petra, Levi had heard her whimper from his room, and had ventured out to see what was up. The only warning she had was the clicking of his door opening and his heavy footsteps coming towards her, and then he was suddenly standing there next to her. Levi peered down at her quizzically, returning his knife to its holster at his side once he saw it was Petra. She noticed the action.

"The hell are you doing just sitting on the stairs?" he interrogated, taking in all of her things now piled around her. His mood shifted at the sight of her panting and flushed face, and he knelt down so that he was on her level. Was she having another panic attack?

"I-I'm okay," Petra said in a rush, holding up her hands to wave him off. "I just ran up the stairs too fast that's all."

"Why were you running? Did something happen?" Levi asked quickly, already preparing for the worst.

"Nothing big! Ymir and Krista were just…teasing me…" Petra finished uncomfortably.

"About what?" Levi grilled, still not convinced she wasn't having another panic attack. He gave her face a once over. Well, no tears, so at least she wasn't crying. But that still didn't explain why her face was so red.

Petra hesitated, not wanting and not knowing how to answer him. He would know if she was lying to him, but she still couldn't bring herself to repeat what the girls had said!

"What were they teasing you about?" Levi asked again, and Petra knew better than to make him ask a third time.

"Th-They were…teasing me…about you. Uh…a-about us," Petra admitted truthfully, omitting the more graphic of details.

Levi tilted his head thoughtfully, still unfazed. "Okay. So they know. What's got you all worked up?"

"N-Nothing!" Petra exclaimed hastily, knowing she was done for if she didn't change the subject soon. "Come on, let's just go to bed. The raid is at dawn so we should try and get some sleep-"

Levi chose this second to slam his hands down on the wall behind her, trapping her between the cage of his arms.

"W-What are you-?!"

"What did they say to get you this flustered?" Levi asked her, annoyed that it was the third time he had demanded an answer, and he found himself growing even more desperate the longer she drew this out.

"N-Noth-!"

"I swear to God if you say nothing one more time-" he raised his voice, knowing it would make her jump and squeak like a little mouse.

"We were just talking about girl stuff!" Petra blurted.

"As in periods and puberty and crap, or boys?" Levi pressed, before leaning in and cracking a smirk, knowing that he had won. "You said they were teasing you about us, so that rules out the first one," he deduced.

"I-I don't have to tell you anything!" Petra stammered in a brief wave of courage.

"That so, brat?" Levi asked dangerously, his smirk disappearing as soon as it had appeared.

"NO!" Petra squealed. "It wasn't important so let's just drop it already!"

Levi checked.

Oh no.

"You asked for it, Petra."

And then he was on her. In a second, Levi pulled her into him, before burying his face into her neck. Unwillingly, Petra's breath hitched sharply, her senses ignited at his electrifying touch.

"S-Stop it!" Petra pleaded, whispering and praying that no one had overheard them.

"You don't want me to stop," Levi stated simply, his now husky voice muffled by her skin.

Petra hated that she couldn't deny it.

He worked his way up and down her neck, trailing kisses and biting lightly at her flesh. Sensing her turmoil, Levi abruptly pulled away, the sudden lack of body heat making her feel cold. The need for contact left her feeling…frustrated.

"Grab your stuff," Levi commanded, helping her to her feet, before bending down again to grab the comforter. Still reeling from what had just happened, Petra could do little more than nod, before stumbling clumsily after him, and entering his room.

Levi plopped her bag down on the floor, and Petra placed the pillow at one end of the mattress, and the folded comforter at the other.

With absolutely no warning, Levi came up behind her, slipping her backpack from her shoulders.

Shit. He wasn't done with her yet. Petra's face burned once again, as she sensed what was coming.

Levi wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her frame into his own, his mouth returning to her neck in the same second.

"I won't ask you again," he warned her, his hot breath at her ear, and Petra failed to suppress a shiver. So, her ears were sensitive, huh? Levi mentally stored that away for later.

"O-Okay!" she yielded, giving in to him, in more ways than one. "Ymir was the one who said it…"

"Said what?" Levi pressed.

Petra groaned helplessly, causing Levi to bite down hard on her neck.

"Ow! Stop that!" Petra complained. Under any other circumstances, she may have been flattered. She had never gone so far with any of her boyfriends before to get a hickey. " _I can't even say it_!" she said in a tiny voice.

"Damn is it that bad?" Levi questioned impatiently. Becoming even further annoyed with her silence, and growing impatient, Levi skillfully unzipped her jacket in one fluid motion, biting down on her neck again, this time a tad harder than before.

"OW! Okay!" Petra conceded. "I'll say it -just- **_stop biting me_**!"

"I'm waiting, kid," Levi warned her again, smug to have gotten such a reaction out of her.

"They- were making bets o-on…on how…uh… _big_ …you are…There I said it!"

Petra was sure she was going to die.

Levi's body went stiff behind her, which Petra assumed was the equivalent of a blush for him.

"What did you tell them?" Levi asked her slowly, knowing she probably needed the extra time to come up with a coherent response.

"What do you mean what did I tell them?! I don't know and that's what I told them! I wouldn't know because I-I'm still…" Petra couldn't say anymore, now red up to her ears.

"A what? A virgin?" Levi finished for her, feeling that she had reached her limit.

Patra rounded on him immediately. "H-How did you-?!"

"You kind of screamed it," Levi told her simply. "I'm pretty sure the whole mansion heard that."

"~Oh my God!" Petra squealed.

Levi smiled, coming up with a sadistic idea while he continued to revel in her turmoil.

"So, what do you think?" he began.

"About what?!" Petra whined angrily, still dying, before her eyes widened when she realized what exactly he was asking her.

 ** _He was asking her to guess his size._**

"I do _not_ want to know and don't you dare tell me!" Petra half warned-half commanded him.

Not wanting her to actually die from embarrassment, Levi finally dropped the subject, before returning to his ministrations. Needing the distraction more than he could ever know, Petra gave into the unfamiliar hunger that now burned through her anew.

After a few blissful moments, Petra shifted in his arms, wanting to face him more fully.

Levi allowed her adjustment, glad to have gained more access to his neck, while Petra clung to him, running her hands up and down his toned, muscled back. Loving the feel of her, Levi broke away from Petra's neck, so that he could kiss her fully, and deeply. He hated what she did to his self-control, and Levi found himself craving more and more of her, growing greedier at the sound of every gasp and moan that escaped her now occupied lips.

Throwing caution to the wind, Levi had long reached the end of his patience. Without once breaking their kiss, which had become rather heated, Levi pulled her frame against his. He lifted her off of the ground, before depositing her onto their mattress, and positioning himself on top of her.

Impatient herself, Petra lightly tugged at his jacket, and in one swift motion Levi had discarded the article onto the floor.

Petra knew that what they were about to do was a very horrible idea, but her mind was racing, far too distracted by the heat his caresses sent surging through her veins. However, when Levi had begun tugging at her own shirt, a wince from Petra stopped him abruptly.

"What's wrong?" he asked worriedly, gripping at her shirt hesitantly.

"N-Nothing...I'm just a little sore from today's training with the Maneuver Gear," Petra conceded, hating how her muscles throbbed beneath his hands. It was then that Levi noticed the strap-like marks peeking out from beneath her shirt, bruising her otherwise flawless skin.

"…We should stop for now," Levi stated, as if speaking the sentence aloud would convince him that the decision was the right thing to do, and he realized for the first time that he was slightly out of breath. "I don't have anything on me to…protect you…" he finished awkwardly, even if every fiber in his being wanted to continue their activities.

"…-I-I understand," Petra managed, her mind still racing as the gravity of his words hit her in full force. "S-Sorry…"

 _Oh my God someone shoot her she apologized again even though he said he hated it when she-_

"Don't be," Levi soothed as he pulled her shirt back down to cover her stomach. "That was all probably new to you, so of course you wouldn't have had the sense to say no to me. I should have had more self-control, and I should have considered that you'd still be sore after this week's training. It's me who should be apologizing," Levi assured her, leaning his forehead on Petra's for a long moment.

After a while, Levi cursed at the coldness of the air around them, before hurriedly retrieving his hoodie from the floor. Petra blushed at the sight of his lovely back, as muscle and abs soon disappeared beneath the fabric.

Petra felt…sad? Or annoyed? Or…whatever this… _unsatisfied_ feeling was that abruptly overcame her.

Having seen her face fall from over his shoulder as he dressed, Levi turned back to her, before taking her face in his hands.

"Hey," he began, her fiery golden eyes already driving him mad. "We can try again another time. Once we found some sort of…protection," Levi promised her, and Petra loathed the fact that he could discuss such an embarrassing topic so close to her with such a straight face. Begrudgingly, Petra nodded, annoyed and relieved at the same time to have ceased their…tryst.

Though he would surely die before ever admitting to it, but Levi found her putting on some level adorable, if not a little childish.

But even if he didn't show it, Petra could distinctly hear the faint hesitation in his words, as this topic was no doubt uncomfortable for him to approach as well. Despite how vulnerable such a subject may have made him feel, Levi was pushing through the embarrassment for her sake. He was letting her know that he wanted to keep going, but was aware of the dangerous repercussions a few blissful moments could entice.

Petra's heart tightened in her chest as she realized just a bit more how much Levi truly cared for her, to think that he would go so far for her.

Petra severely doubted that Levi had any sort of STDs, and trusted that he would have never let them get nearly as far as they had if he did. But now was certainly not the time or the place to be getting herself knocked up. Forget the fact that she would be defenseless in the later part of her pregnancy, then have to survive childbirth with likely no aid from an actual doctor, how long exactly would they be able to keep the child alive?

Would it die soon after being born from sickness or malnourishment? It wasn't like she could pop into a grocery store and pick up formula, so she would have to be taking in enough food herself to have any hope of breast feeding it. If they were being pursued, by people or by Titans, how would they keep it from crying out?

"Stop that," Levi commanded when he saw her fretting. "Don't bother stressing yourself out over pointless what ifs. If we're smart, then we won't have to worry about getting ourselves into any shitty situations."

"...Okay," Petra said in a voice too quiet and small to convince him she had at all been assured by his words.

Sighing heavily, Levi reached for the comforter Petra had brought with her, unfolding the fabric to couple it with the thinner blanket they had previously been using. After covering their legs, Levi carefully slipped an arm around Petra's waist, before easing under the plush blankets with her.

When Petra hesitated to snuggle up next to him, Levi pulled her closer to him, hating how tense she felt in his arms.

"Come here." Levi whispered soothingly, beckoning her closer. "You get cold too easily. I know you're exhausted from today, and tomorrow is no doubt going to be worse. Try and get some sleep while you can, kid."

"You, too, _Captain_ ," Petra teased, whispering back playfully as she gave into him, only mildly aware of how heavy her eyelids had recently become.

"The hell?" Levi mumbled curiously into her hair, suddenly fighting sleep himself.

"Ymir and Krista…" Petra yawned, "we were teasing you earlier, trying to come up with nicknames for you…since you seem to have plenty for us."

"I take it there's more?" Levi concluded, nuzzling his face deeper into her hair to breathe in more of her intoxicating scent.

"Captain was the tamest thing they came up with, but yeah," Petra giggled, stifling another yawn, and this time Levi found himself fighting one as well.

"If they have the time to come up with stupid shit then they have time to train," Levi reasoned, though he was currently far too content to be annoyed with really anything at the moment.

Petra no longer had the strength to roll her eyes at his antics.

They were silent then, as each listened to one another's breathing, the steady rhythms lulling them both to sleep. As their breathing evened out, their last thoughts revolved around the other. The last thing Petra's groggy mind registered was the feeling of his arms around her waist, and the weight of Levi's head as he leaned it on her own.

Tomorrow would be filled with chaos, the thunder of guns and explosions, and the echoing cries of soldier and civilian alike as they took their last breaths. How many people would they have to kill to get to and away with the Maneuver Gear?

Not wanting to dwell on the idea for fear of it giving her nightmares, Petra let Levi's touch chase away her worries and doubts. At least for tonight, let them sleep.


	34. Chapter 34

**Author's Note: 'Sup** ** _~Dreamers_** **! So I actually decided to proof read this one, not only for ignorable typos and grammatical mistakes but to make sure I got my sh*t straight. Everything is gonna get real crazy real fast, so I hope ya'll are ready! The peacefulness is ovaaaaa!**

 **Now let's bring on them FEELS! (more in the next few chapters with the feels, and prepare yourselves for some b*tch a$$ cliff hangers!)**

 **~Enjoy** ** _~Dreamers_** **!**

* * *

ARTS Ch. 34

Petra woke the next morning after feeling Levi untangle himself from her, despite his careful efforts not to stir her, hoping she could get at least a few more minutes of peace.

"Getting ready?" Petra asked him groggily as she wiped the sleep from her eyes, sitting up.

"Yeah," he answered her simply, before pulling his shirt over his head to trade it for another. "You should get ready, too. If you're done staring at me, that is."

Blushing predictably, Petra cucked her pillow at his back, as he was facing away from her. Levi dodged it easily, catching it and chucking it back at her own head, but he hadn't missed.

"Too slow, brat," he teased, pulling on his boots, and lacing them up.

"You're just not human," Petra retorted. "I'm changing, too, so don't turn around."

"And if I do?" Levi inquired, casting her a look over his shoulder as he began slipping guns and knives into the numerous holsters now strapped about his lean body.

"Well I doubt I'd be able to take you on in an actual fight, but I'd be pissed at you for not respecting my privacy," Petra answered honestly, turning her own back to him so that she could get ready herself.

"That all?" Levi asked, now slipping knives into each of his boots, as well as his wrists.

"All I can think of right now. Can you turn around?" Petra asked again now that he was fully facing her.

But instead of continuing their usual banter, Levi only looked at her, with an expression he had never seen him wear. Though he was looking at her, Levi's stormy eyes seemed to be gazing out at something far, far away. The look was so foreign on his face that it took Petra a moment to realize it was a mixture of worry and anxiety.

Of fear.

"Hey," Petra began, walking over to him hesitantly. Slowly, she reached out to him, before resting her hands on his shoulders. "Talk to me?"

He couldn't lie to her, not with those doe like eyes peering into everything that he was.

A shadow fell over his face then, and Levi closed his eyes, before leaning his head heavily on her shoulder as he pulled her closer.

"Promise me you won't die today," Levi whispered into her hair as he drank in her scent.

Levi was shaking.

"What's this all of a sudden?" Petra asked as she held him back, which only made him cling to her even tighter.

"Promise me."

"Alright, I promise!" Petra caved, pulling away from him to rest her hands on either side of his face to make him look at her.

When their eyes met again, Petra could see the torment in him. His grey eyes looked like they were mulling over every possible way they could die, and it was as if they were memorizing every contour of her face.

Levi hated that he had shown Petra this weaker side of him. It was usually her losing her cool, and every time it had been him alone who had grounded her. He was her rock, and now here he was shaking like a leaf at the thought of losing her.

"You stay on my ass, you hear me? If you so much as take a step out of my reach…" Levi warned her, his hands finding her own face.

"I won't leave you. I'll never leave you."

That was all she said, and for a moment, Petra looked aged far beyond her years.

Levi dropped one of his hands to circle one arm around her waist, while his other held her hand against his face. Petra returned the gesture by draping her free arm over his shoulders, and running her fingers through his hair as he leaned in to kiss her.

* * *

Once downstairs, Levi and Petra joined those chosen by Erwin in strapping on their 3DMG. Again, Levi assisted Petra with fastening the numerous belts and straps, double and even triple checking that her own was entirely secure. While he seemed as composed as usual, the action told Petra exactly how on edge he still was.

After a speech from Erwin that was as equally motivating as it was mortifying, everyone split into their assigned groups. Petra was on one of the two Scouting squads with Maneuver Gear, with Levi as their leader. The other teams made up the numerous Recovery squads.

Like before, the few walkies they had were given to each squadron's designated leaders, and everyone carried multiple knives and at least one gun on their person. After test checking their radios, each group set out one after the other.

Outside it snowed lightly, but Petra hardly registered any cold, apart from the adrenaline already trickling through her anxious veins.

The plan was to get all squads into position and wait for the caravan to arrive with the gear. Ordinarily, it would already be heavily guarded, but after the explosion a few days prior, plus the shoot out that had immediately followed, the MPs had practically doubled their numbers.

But even with the MPs numbers doubled, the 23 or so Corps members, _plus_ the ten snipers Erwin had recruited made the fight almost even. It would be 33 to 40.

However, the Corps only had a handful of people with Maneuver Gear, and only half of them really knew how to use it. But that's what this entire operation was for: to acquire more sets of 3DMG so that they could practice, and further strengthen their members.

The snow hadn't stopped for days, now piling up all around them as the visibility dropped, and Petra was grateful to have her brown fluffy coat back, curtesy of Hanji. Hopefully Petra could keep it free of blood this time around, but it was impossible to tell what was in store for them today.

Petra, Levi, Eld and Auroro made up one of the squads with 3DMG, and all four of them were standing by in a hollowed out building that overlooked Main Street. A few blocks down the street were the Walls that surrounded the remains of Stohess District, as well as the towering Gate where the caravan would soon enter.

"Squad 1: in position. All squads: report," Levi commanded through his radio, and in seconds voices began reporting through the static.

"Squad 2: ready for action!" exclaimed Hanji, who was with Eld and Gunther.

"Recovery Squad 1: in position," answered Farlan, sounding far more serious than Hanji. In his squad were Franz, Hannah, and Isabel.

"Recovery Squad 2: in position," announced Nanaba. She was with Armin and Annie.

"Recovery Squad 3: in position," called Ymir. In her squad was Jean, Reiner, and of course, Historia.

"Recovery Squad 4: in position," reported Mikasa, who lead Eren, Connie, and Bertholdt.

"Snipers?" Levi asked next, knowing that the Squads were all where they needed to be.

"Every one of them just reported to me," Erwin assured, carrying a separate set of radios for all ten of his men.

"The caravan will be entering the gates in 6 minutes," Erwin announced over the radios. "Everyone be ready. Hanji's Squad will be creating a distraction a few blocks away."

"THAT my dear good Sir is an understatement!" Hanji laughed maniacally on the other end of the radio.

"At least try to control yourself," Levi warned, and practically everyone could hear his eyes roll as Hanji's insanity.

"~Nooo promises!" Hanji told all of them simply.

As she led the second team with 3DMG, they would pose as a distraction, while one of the Recovery squads will act as their backup a few blocks away. When the MP's divide their forces to check out the chaos Hanji will be happily creating, the remaining three Recovery Squads will sneak into the caravan, and secure the Gear by hijacking the trucks. Levi's squad will offer support, and take out anyone who attempted to follow their stolen trucks, which they will use as their getaway vehicles.

"The trucks are equipped with GPS tracking devices, which Levi will neutralize after you make it past the Walls," Erwin informed them. "I will remain behind with the Snipers to ensure that none of you are followed. Ditch the trucks at your earliest convenience, as the noise will undoubtedly attract Titans, and the vehicles could be easily spotted."

"Levi?" Petra asked suddenly, tugging on his sleeve.

"What is it?" Levi asked her, turning his head to face her

"…The snow should cover any tire tracks, and my gym actually has a huge garage right next to it, so no one will be able to see the trucks. The weather is getting worse, and everyone is gonna be exhausted after the Raid," Petra began. "I doubt any of us will be thrilled to walk a few miles in this snow, and I don't think we have to.

"You heard Erwin, the trucks will be too loud. We'll attract every Titan in the city," Levi reminded her.

"We can park them a few blocks from my place, and kill the engines. Those of us with Maneuver gear can create a distraction a few streets away, while being safely suspended in the air, while the others plough through the remaining Titans and hurry into the garage next to the gym," Petra explained. "Titans aren't like soldiers, who may or may not chase after a sound. Every one of them will every single time. Trust me."

"I trust you, kid," Levi said quietly, so that the radio couldn't pick it up.

"Did you get all that, Erwin?" Levi asked the man through the static, bringing the walkie back up to his mouth.

"Petra is right, the conditions are only deteriorating. The plan sounds solid. I have no objections to it," Erwin agreed, his tone approving. "It's a risk well worth taking."

"Anyone else opposed to it?" Levi asked the others. The decision was unanimous: if everything went as planned, then the Corps gang will soon add three military trucks to its arsenal.

A rumbling sound thundered in the distance, and began to grow louder as it neared the edge of the Walls. Then gunfire, as the soldiers stationed atop the Walls began gunning down the Titans likely closing in on the caravan, the noise drawing them in.

Petra's heart began racing even more than it already was at the sound of the shots. She forced herself to remain calm, and take several slow, deep breaths to steady her now shaking limbs, puling with adrenaline. Levi, who stood a few centimeters in front of her, wordlessly reached behind him, and grabbed her hand. He didn't need to look behind him to know that Petra was trying not to panic, and he tightly squeezed her gloved hand in his own.

"I've got you."

That was all Levi said to her, and for now, it would have to be enough for Petra, because it was all she could do to suppress the panic attack threatening to cripple her.

"I can see them now," Erwin's voice informed the squads, situated on a roof nearby with his snipers. "The caravan is nearing the Wall. It takes about two minutes for them to open the gate. We'll strike once the gate has fully risen, before the trucks enter the city. Hanji, on my mark:"

Levi gave Petra's hand one more squeeze, and Petra tightened her grip on him, knowing he was about to let go.

"Now!" Erwin exclaimed through their radios. Seconds later, a bomb detonated a few streets over, igniting the snowy landscape with light and fire. Hanji's distraction. Then the soldiers started yelling, before predictably scattering their forces, and creating the opening that the Corps needed. "We have a two minute window at best," Erwin warned, and then the snipers started shooting. They didn't aim at the soldiers, but fired damn close, sending what remained of the MP's scattering for cover.

"Time to go," Levi announced to those around him, raising his voice over the chaos they were about to throw themselves into.

Petra let go of his hand then, and charged her gun, clicking the safety button off. Seconds later, their squad was throwing themselves out of the window of their building to get airborne. After creating a distraction of their own in the skyline of Stohess, the Scouts were flanked by the Recovery Squad, who took to the streets. The Scout's forces now dominated the ground and the air, as they made their way to the trucks outside the gate.


	35. Chapter 35

**Author's Note: 'Sup _~Dreamers_! Sorry for the wait, but writer's block + new college semester + my own laziness + surviving Hurricane Irma (cuz I live on the eastcoast of Florida) + job switching = absolutely no fuck*ng writing. Like at all. Hope it was at least worth the wait!**

 **Enjoy _~Dreamers_!**

* * *

ARTS Ch. 35

* * *

The remaining MP's that hadn't left to check out Hanji's explosion were now flooding out of the supply trucks like water. In seconds, their snowy world was alive with screaming and yelling, and the thunderous echoes of gunfire. Shots were fired from above, but Petra didn't bother looking up, trusting that at least those bullets were on their side.

Six guards came at their squad, but Levi and the others were quick to disarm them, swiftly knocking them out. Petra, Auroro and Eld had all taken out one each, while the remaining three had singled out Levi as the better fighter, and rushed at him.

Flipping the first man over his shoulder as if he weighed little more than a child, Levi hurriedly directed his attention to the second and the third. Dodging the slashing knives of the second man, Levi focused instead on the third man, who was now aiming the chamber of his gun at Petra.

In half a second Levi was on him, ruthlessly impaling the man's stomach with one of the grapples of his Maneuver Gear.

The third man had tried to run away, but had clumsily run smack into Auroro and Eld, who made quick work of incapacitating him.

"Everyone alright?" Levi asked, not even panting despite having just impaled a man, though he did he made a point to step in front of the man with a grapple in his stomach. The last thing Petra needed was to see the man's guts splayed out in front of her, especially when she had nearly had another panic attack only moments before.

He hadn't wanted to kill the man, but the thought of anyone who dared to so much as look at Petra with such a murderous glare was beneath receiving any of his mercy.

"Yeah, we're all good," Eld answered, checking his Gear.

But behind Levi, one of the men on the ground had regained consciousness…and was now coming at him with a blade in hand.

Reacting quickly, Petra had pushed Levi out of the way, before firing at the man once in the chest. He fell to the ground, dead at their feet.

"…L-Let's go," Petra breathed shakily, looking anywhere but down where the man laid, now dead.

"Thanks kid," Levi said simply, placing a firm hand on her shoulder.

"…Did she just? Push Levi?!" Auroro exclaimed in disbelief, and Petra couldn't tell if he was more pissed or surprised.

"What? I wasn't attacking him! I was trying to get him out of the way-" Petra began, still not believing herself what she had just done.

"Let's get to the watch tower before we get our asses jumped again. Once everyone is in the trucks, we're out of here."

Petra guessed that Levi let the action slide because he trusted her, aaand because they were kind of in the middle of a Raid.

Really, she was lucky to still be alive.

Then they took to the buildings, the Corps soon dominating the crumbling skyline of Stohess. Petra took this chance to survey the area. All around them was shooting and chaos, but it looked like the squads had everything under control for the time being. Petra fought to keep her head in the game and struggled keep up with Levi and the others, who were soaring a bit ahead of her.

She did everything in her power to ignore the fact that they had just brutally killed two people.

" _Keep your head in the game Petra,"_ she muttered to herself.

"You good, Petra?" Eld asked her suddenly, interrupting her thoughts after having fallen back a little to propel alongside her.

"No," she answered honestly, hoping Levi wasn't listening in on them. "But I will be."

"We've got your back," Eld said encouragingly, deciding to keep pace with her, just in case. If anyone noticed her lagging behind them, it would make her an easy target to shoot down.

"Scouting Squad 1 now approaching the Walls. Snipers, cover our six," Levi requested through the radio. "We can't shoot back while we're scaling the Walls.

' _How in the Hell did he manage to pull out the hand-held radio while swinging around through the sky?!'_ Petra thought to herself, envious of his multitasking skills…and wondering vaguely what other things his hands were capable of—oh my God Petra- this is so not the time!

"Copy that," sounded Erwin's voice over the radio, which Levi was now reattaching to his belt, as he prepared to scale the Walls.

"Scouting Squad 2, on our way," sounded Armin, and Hanji could be heard laughing maniacally in the background.

"Acknowledged," Erwin replied. "All Squads, get to the trucks! The Scouts are taking the watch tower. Recovery Squads, secure the Gear!"

Erwin and the Snipers held fast on the rooftops while the Recovery and Scouting Squads piled in the trucks, giving them cover until everyone had left the boundaries of the District's Walls until the very last second before eventually falling back, before the MP's could regroup enough to chase hunt them down.

* * *

The Maneuver Gear secured, the Recovery and Scouting Squads plowed their way through snow and ice, as well as the dozens of Titans drawn to all the commotion.

Each truck was big enough to fit at least fifteen people, if not more. Eld was driving their car, which was in the front of their caravan so Petra could navigate them through the city. Petra sat in the front, beside Levi, who despite the space in the van sat arm to arm with her, attempting to keep her warm as they blasted the heat.

"These things are practically tanks!" Connie exclaimed over the radio as his truck's driver – Hanji, God help them all – ran over yet another Titan, it's blood steaming off their windshield. They were in a car behind Levi and Petra's squad, as Petra guided the caravan through the Titanous country of the abandoned area of Stohess, and towards her gym.

"If you have the energy to waste exclaiming pointless shit, then shut up make yourselves useful by taking stock of all of the supplies on each truck," Levi commanded over the radio. "I'm sure the MPs packed more than just the Gear. Get ahold of every knife, gun, and bullet. Check for any medical supplies we can use, and any food rations you can get your hands on."

"Y-Yes Sir!" Connie replied fearfully through the radio.

Petra clung to Levi's arm, trying to ground herself. In the driver's seat beside them, Eld casted Levi knowing looks, which their Leader pointedly ignored.

"We're almost there," Petra announced after a few minutes, amazed that they made the journey to her gym through the snow that ordinarily took her several hours, and that was under much fairer conditions. Petra asked Levi for the radio.

"The gym should be coming up on our left soon. But we'll have to drop the trucks off at the parking garage first, so just keep going another two blocks. Everyone be careful and watch your backs, the gym is only partially blocked off, so there's a good chance it'll be swarming with Titans. Don't leave the trucks until we know just how many there are." Levi took the radio back.

"In the best-case scenario, there are no or only a few Titans in the garage. Once we secure the area, block off all the entrances so that no other Titans get in. We can't see them now, but the sound of the trucks probably has every Titan in the city on our asses. As soon as we're in the garage, kill the engines. We can make out way to Petra's gym after the trucks are taken care of."

"Okay? And the worst-case scenario?" Jean inquired, ever the optimist.

"If you or anyone else fucks up, someone becomes a Titan. And then we'll have no choice but to take them out," Levi said flatly, as a warning to everyone how fast they needed to act. "Don't let it come to that."

Levi found himself holding Petra's hand a little tighter beside him.

"Alright, the gym is that blue five story building guys," Petra said over the radio. "Two more blocks to the gym." Their caravan drove on for another moment. "Okay there's the gym. The entrance should be around the back. Go down that alley over there and you should see it."

Eld lead the caravan, driving up into the parking garage, deciding it was best to park the tucks on the 4th level up, so that the 5th level could act as the roof; far enough up there wouldn't be any Titans, yet sheltered from the snow.

"The coast seems clear for now. Everyone grab the Gear and all the supplies you can carry. We might not have enough time to make a second trip today," Levi warned everyone over the radios. "Kill the engines. We can always come back for the trucks later." And so they did.

Everyone climbed out of the trucks, Levi having to help Petra due to the height of the trucks. But after another moment spent trying to get their bearings, they all heard it.

The ominous roar of hundreds of Titans.

"Everyone get ready!" Levi commanded, charging his gun and readying his blades.

"Everyone go up one floor!" Petra yelled. "Take the stairs- the fire escape! The gaps between the rooftops here and the roof to the gym aren't too difficult to jump." And everyone started running, Gunther kicking open the doors to the stairs.

"Those that can, use the Gear. If you don't fell one hundred percent confident using the grapples, then don't risk it and make the jump," Levi commanded, as the Corps pounded their way up the stairs. Adrenaline surged through Petra's veins, and soon everyone had reached the roof, ie the 5th floor, whose parking lot was not shielded from the sky.

Levi made a point to be the last one to enter the stairs, to cover the Corps from behind. Like a shadow, Petra did as well.

"What are you doing?! We need to move?!" Petra asked him frantically.

"Covering out asses," Levi replied simply. It was through the windows of the doors that they saw them: the dozens of Titans pouring into the 4th floor parking lot.

In seconds, he had unzipped his backpack, and had produced a rope, which he began furiously attempting to loop through the handles of the doors to the stairs.

"Guys! Help! The Titans are here and we need to keep the doors shut!" Petra shouted up the stairs. All at once, the Titans began ramming their steaming bodies into the metal doors, which were now the only things dividing them from certain death. Around eight or so of the guys came to their aid, while those at the top of the stairs struggled to get their sole escape route open.

But they couldn't open the next door. Some of the guys had tried kicking it in, but it wouldn't budge, completely frozen shut.

There was nearly a foot of snow covering the entire parking lot.

"The doors aren't budging!" Berthold yelled down from above. There's like a foot of snow up on the roof!"

"Fuck!" Eren yelled, struggling with the others to keep the doors closed, while Levi fought to tie off the rope. But finally, he did.

"Do the doors up there have windows too?" Levi yelled up at the others.

"They do! We'll have to break through them if we want to get out of here!" Hanji exclaimed.

The doors at the foot of the stairs buckled unsettlingly, and Levi knew the rope wouldn't hold for long. Someone would have to be left behind to hold them closed while everyone made their escape. He glanced under his left arm, where Petra stood at his side, pushing against the doors with everything she had.

"Help them out, kid," Levi told her. "They don't know their way around up there as well as you do."

"But-"

"Don't even try," Levi warned her. When she still hesitated, he added, "Go. I got this." But even as he said this, Levi could feel a bead of sweat trickle down his temple at the exertion of trying to keep the doors closed.

Not caring who was watching, Petra gave him a quick peck on the cheek, before sprinting up the stairs to help the others onto the roof.

Reiner had used one of the gas tanks from his Maneuver Gear to take out the large square windows of the upper doors, and once by one, each member climbed through the opening, feeling the icy wind from outside intrude upon the hallway.

"And how in the shit are we supposed to jump in this?!" Auroro exclaimed, horrified as the sound of Titans could be heard just behind them. "There's like two feet of snow up here!"

"Make it happen!" Levi yelled up at everyone. "You know what happens if you don't, so stop bitching and adapt!"

"Looks like we're gonna have to use the Gear after all," Annie said simply, as if unaffected by the terror the rest of them were feeling.

"Yeah, not like we can get a running start to make that jump in all this snow," Connie said, voice literally shaking in fear.

After making her way through the edge, Petra planted her feet, before aiming her grapples at a nearby chimney, over on the next roof, before launching herself across the gap.

"You guys coming? Or do you want to die?" Petra yelled over. "Now isn't the time to chicken out! Aim your grapples and use the clutches! You can worry about your landing after you've crossed the gap!"

After more bitching from literally everyone still too afraid to make the jump, the sound of Levi and the few left down stairs struggling in the fire escape motivated everyone enough to get moving. It wasn't until the last member was across that horror struck her. Levi was still down there, holding the lower doors shut, unable to make his escape on his own.

Then Petra did exactly what Levi had no doubt prayed she would do.

She went back for him.


	36. Chapter 36

**Author's Note: 'Sup -** _ **Dreamers**_ **? Soo I managed to fail both of my math courses this semester and I'm writing to cope with my sadness and inner turmoil. I expect reviews and fanart to cheer me up!**

 **Enjoy guys! And sorry for the late ass update!**

* * *

A Reason to Survive Chapter 36

* * *

Ignoring the others' protests, Petra found herself propelling back onto the snowy roof of the parking garage. She used their leftover footprints for extra traction, before crashing through the window of the still frozen upper doors, and bolting down the stairs.

Levi was furious, still struggling to keep the doors shut, where more than thirty Titans had gathered, continuing their assault on the lower doors at his back.

"Come on!" Petra urged him, yelling over the deafening roar of the Titans. "We can both make it if we're fast enough!"

"-And if we're not?!" Levi questioned realistically, his panic for her safety rising with every bang and shove and yell as the Titans echoed behind him. If the Titans didn't kill her, then Levi certainly would after this shit was over.

"We'll make it!" Petra screamed unconvincingly, while she struggled to help him keep the doors closed. "Let's go! Before even more show up!"

"We're not going to make it," Levi said knowingly, his voice falling to a dreadful whisper. "GO!"

Petra slapped him, hard, Levi's eyes widening in shock.

"The Hell I won't!" Petra yelled desperately, defiant. "Either you come with me with me _right now_ …-or I find my way downstairs and start screaming to draw them away from you!"

She was crying now, a rush of anger and terror taking hold of her. Levi couldn't handle it when she cried.

Petra was not going to leave him, and if they didn't move soon, they'd both be torn apart by the Titans, with nothing left to even become one themselves.

"-…Ten seconds," Levi compromised. "I'll give you ten seconds to get your ass up those stairs and out that fucking window before I follow you…"

But still Petra didn't leave his side, and the doors were beginning to buckle. She didn't believe him.

"PETRA!" Levi warned, his arms getting weaker from the incredible force they were combatting.

Levi growled audibly.

" _GODDAMNED BRAT_!"

Grabbing Petra by her waist, Levi pulled her away from the doors and lifted her up off her feet.

A single, unsettling crack was audible, as Levi felt the bones in his left ankle give out under the weight of Petra and her Gear as they hit the stairs.

Fighting through the fire in his leg, Levi made it to the top of the stairs, throwing Petra through the doors' windows. She landed harshly on her knees outside, scrambling to her feet in time to see Levi vaulting through the same windows. It was as he hobbled painfully over to her that Petra realized that he was hurt.

"You're limping-!"

" _Get off the fucking roof_!" was all Levi said as they made it to the ledge of the upper level, overlooking a five story drop between them and safety. But then the Titans were on them, not letting them have the chance to ready their Gear to make the jump.

It happened when a Titan rushed Levi from behind, mouth open as it descended upon his neck.

There wasn't any time to grab a gun or scream or think. Only act.

Petra launched herself at the Titan, knocking its rotting feet out from beneath it and away from Levi's neck, sending both herself and the Titan over the edge of the roof, before plummeting towards the icy concrete below.

* * *

The landing was hard, harder than any impact or blow Petra had ever taken. She wondered briefly if she got shot in the chest this time.

The Titan's body broke her fall enough for her to survive, but Petra could feel the agony of more than a few broken ribs from the impact. Her vision blurred, and for a long eternity of a moment nothing existed but a world filled with pain. Petra prayed her lungs weren't punctured by her likely disfigured bones. It was hard enough to breathe as it was, she didn't need to add internal bleeding to her rapidly growing list of injuries.

Petra could hear Levi screaming above her, his voice muffled through her body's trauma and adrenaline, begging for her to respond that she was alright. But he was more than occupied, now combatting dozens of Titans as close range.

Petra wanted nothing more than to tell him that she was alive - not alright, but alive - but she could hardly breathe, the pain of her ribs unrelenting, coming in crippling waves.

Above her, Petra could hear gunfire. The others must be trying to give Levi some help, sniping off the heads of the Titans that they could, in hopes of stalling their assault long enough for their leader to get away.

Petra knew that she needed to move, to get on her feet – to- something! The fact that the alley she was in was not yet flooded with Titans was a miracle, one she knew would only last for so long. But when she tried to move, she screamed, collapsing back onto the steaming carcass of the Titan beneath her.

Oh yeah, the Titan.

Petra craned her neck to look up at the Titan below her, in time to see its head fully regenerate, having exploded upon impact with the ground. Its eyes flickered to her.

"NO!" Petra wheezed, not even able to scream due to the agony of being rendered unable to take a deep enough breath to fuel so much as a yell. Using all of what little strength she had left, Petra rolled off the Titan, before futilely attempting to crawl away.

She managed to pull out her gun, but a second too late. The Titan bit hard on the wrist, the force nearly breaking it, her bones creaking in protest as its teeth punctured into her pale flesh. Petra shot its head off again, the kick of her handgun hurting her more than she could describe, but it was over.

She was Infected.

* * *

Petra wasn't sure what happened over that, but her first concern was to stop the bleeding in her bitten wrist. It takes anywhere between two to three days to become a Titan, and Petra refused to bleed to death here, robbed of what little time she now had left. Doubting she could manage to reach behind her long enough to pull out the first aid kit from her pack with her injured ribs, Petra reached in front of her, producing a lighter from her pocket.

Clenching her teeth, Petra flicked it a few times, before bringing the tiny flame to her hemorrhaging wrist, in a desperate attempt to cauterize the wound. Had she been able to take a full breath, Petra would have screamed. Once the deed was done, Petra dropped the lighter into the snow, before shoving her wrist into a nearby snowbank. Crying, she again shot off the regenerated head of the Titan beside her.

Vision blurring again, Petra suddenly felt arms and then warmth, before the sky rushed up to meet her this time, instead of the ground. Petra vaguely recalled the whirring of metal and the rhythmic swinging of their weight as she drifted off. 3D Maneuver Gear.

It was only after pulling her sleeve down to hide her wrist from view that Petra finally allowed herself to faint.

It was Eld who had recued Petra from the alley, per Levi's command. Soon all of them were back in Petra's Gym, on the top floor with the doors locked and heavily barricaded.

Petra was unconscious, and she was starting to cough up blood.

Levi was beside her the second Eld carried her in through the window.

"Her ribs are broken!" Eld announced, looking grave. "I could feel her chest cave in when I picked her up!"

"Lay her down and turn her onto her side!" Levi commanded, his hands ripping open Petra's jacket and finding their way up her shirt to confirm the extent of Petra's injuries for himself. What should have been a cage of rib and bone felt like mush, and Levi fought back the urge to throw up, worry choking him.

"Hanji-!" Levi looked up for a brief second, coming face to face with a man he did not recognize.

Pulling his gun, Levi took aim between the quivering brows of the stranger, who was already being restrained by Eren, Auroro, and Reiner.

"And who the fuck are you?" Levi demanded, the clicks of his gun's revolver snapping the man out of it.

"Please don't kill me!" the man cried, "I didn't know this place was taken! I was just trying to find some shelter from the cold! I swear! Take what you want from me, but please don't kill me! I have a family!"

"And where are they?!" Levi demanded, his patience long gone. He didn't need to worry about an ambush.

"My-my son is twelve years old! I told him to hide when I heard you guys bust in!" the man admitted honestly. "I-I can ask him to come out, but only if you promise me…not to shoot him!" The man was weeping now, pleading with Levi.

"Are there any others?" Levi demanded, silver eyes unwavering, and unblinking.

"N-No! My wife and my sister are in Stohess District!" the stranger explained.

"Bring out your son," Levi instructed. The man nodded obediently.

"S-Samuel?!" the man asked tentatively.

"Daddy?" a whimper echoed from the storage closet. A child appeared, a near clone of the older man. The boy was wielding a gun, his arms shaking like a leaf. The Corps trained their own guns on the kid, albeit hesitantly.

"It's okay, Sammy," the man said, arms raised so that Levi could see his hands, a white flag of surrender. "I need you to set the gun down on the ground, slowly. Can you do that for me son?"

"But they'll shoot us, Daddy!" the boy protested, gripping the gun even tighter.

"No we won't," Levi promised, sharing a look with the boy's father.

"Then you put your guns down, too!" the boy demanded, his legs shaking as much as his arms.

"Sam-!"

"Alright," Levi allowed, sharing another look with the boy's father, nodding once.

Slowly, so as not to startle the kid, Levi set his gun onto the matts, before kicking it out of his reach, though still out of the man's, encouraging the boy to do the same. The kid followed suit.

"Walk over to your old man, kid," Levi ordered. "Any funny business, and your heads will be full of lead." Levi gestured for Eren, Auroro, and Reiner to release the kid's dad, so that he could hug his son in a heart-wrenching embrace.

Petra coughed up even more blood, and Levi turned his attention back to her.

"I-I can help her!" the man suddenly offered, out of the blue.

"I don't think so," Jean spoke up, an automatic gun as long as his torso cradled between both hands. The man only raised his hands into the air again, trying to appear as unthreatening as possible.

"I'm a heart surgeon!" he began. "I use to open and close people up all the time! It's obvious your friend is bleeding internally! We need to expel the blood from her lungs before she suffocates!"

Levi glared at the man warily, Petra's whimpers and gurgling breathing making his decision for him.

"Try anything funny, and the kid dies."


End file.
